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Upper St. Clair School District

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Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records.  These rights are:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day the School Principal or Student Services receives a request for access.

    Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit to the School Principal or the Student Services a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect.  The School Principal or designee will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
     
  1. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

    Parents or eligible students who want to amend their child’s or their education record should write the School Principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it should be changed.  If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, Student Services will notify the parent or eligible student of the School’s decision and of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
     
  1. The right to provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without con­sent.

    One authorized disclosure that does not require prior consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official typically includes a person employed by the school district (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board.  School officials may also include the following: a volunteer,  contractor, or consultant who performs an institutional service or function, such as an attorney, audi­tor, medical consultant, or therapist; instructional technology or student data system vendors; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.  A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa­tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional or educational responsibility.
     
  1. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the [School] to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC  20202

The School District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you notify Student Support Services in writing prior to September 15 of each school year. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the School to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications.  Examples include:

  • A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;
  • The annual yearbook;
  • Honor roll or other recognition lists;
  • Graduation programs; and
  • Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, the local police department, PTO/PTSO/PTA organizations, booster groups, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, state and federal law requires the School District to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the School that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. 

If you do not want the School District to disclose information designated as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify Student Support Services in writing by September 15. 

The School District has designated the following information as directory information:

  • Student's name
  • Address
  • Telephone listing
  • Electronic mail address
  • Photograph
  • Date and place of birth
  • Major field of study
  • Dates of attendance
  • Grade level
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Weight and height of members of athletic teams
  • Degrees, honors, and awards received
  • The most recent educational agency or institution attended