Student Records (FERPA)

Student records are located in secure cabinets in either administrative or guidance offices in each school. Official records of exceptional children are also maintained in the administrative offices of the Department of Pupil Personnel Services located in the School Board Office Annex at 25 School Service Road Ext. It is requested that all special education records be released through this office.

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 students’ education records. They are:

     (1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school division receives a request for access.Parents or eligible students should submit to the school administrator a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school administrator will make arrangements for access  and  notify  the  parent  or  eligible  student  of  the  time  and  place  where  the  records  may  be inspected.

     (2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading.Parents or eligible students may ask Franklin County Public Schools to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.If the school division decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school division will notify the parent or eligible student the right to a hearing.

     (3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education record, 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  division  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 division 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.A school Official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.Upon request, the school division discloses education records without consent to officials of another school division in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

    (4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school division to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Under the Code of Virginia (section 22.1-287.1), directory information may be publicly released to  colleges,  universities,  private  business  or  professional  schools,  or  to  the  military  forces.  This information is to be furnished for the purpose of informing students of the educational and career opportunities available in the institutions or the military. Prior to the release of such information, the superintendent or principal shall give annual public notice of such intent in a newspaper of general circulation. After such notice, the parent, guardian, or an eligible student may notify the school in writing within 15 days concerning any part of this information about the student to be disclosed without prior consent. Other than directory information, no educational records will be released to any party that does not have a legitimate educational interest in the student. Parental release forms are required when requests for transcripts or copies to be sent to other agencies are made.

For additional information about the student records, please contact your child’s school or the Department of Pupil Personnel Services.

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