NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER FERPA The Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) affords parents and students over
18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education
records. Parents and eligible students have:
The right to inspect and review
the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access.
Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school
official) a written or electronic request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The
school officials will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student
of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
The right to request the amendment
of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate.
Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is
inaccurate. They should write the school principal (or appropriate school official), clearly
identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate.
The right to consent to disclosures
of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education
records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school
officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person
employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support
staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit
personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom
the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney,
auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an
official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting
another school official in performing his or her tasks.
The right to request a restriction on
access
to directory information for a student by making a written request to the school
principal at any time. “Directory information” includes the student’s
name, address, telephone number if it is a
listed number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participating in
officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of
athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most
recent previous educational
agency or institution attended by the
student. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department
of Education concerning alleged failures
by Walton County Schools to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and
address of the office that administers FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
If you believe your privacy rights or
health rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Walton County School Board by
contacting the Equity Officer.
For more information, contact Dianne Hicks at 850-892-1100 ext. 1411