Overview
Student Records
To receive a copy of the student’s record, a written request with the signature of the parent(s), legal guardian(s), or student (if eighteen years or older) is needed to release records. A trained surrogate parent assigned by the special education department may also sign the request. The request should include the address and phone number of the person requesting the record. The request should be forwarded to the special education records office by mail or fax.
Questions and Answers
Parent(s), legal guardian(s), the student (if eighteen years or older), or a trained surrogate parent assigned by the special education department may obtain a copy of the student’s record at no cost.
Parent(s), legal guardian(s), the student (if eighteen years or older), or a trained surrogate parent assigned by the special education department may sign the “Authorization to Release” form.
Any and all records collected, maintained, and/or used in providing a free appropriate public education. This typically includes the individualized education plan (IEP), eligibility report(s), and assessment information if applicable.
Special education records are maintained until the records are no longer needed for educational planning purposes (i.e., student graduates with a high school diploma, reaches maximum age, etc.) and are destroyed in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) procedures.
Requests for records are usually processed within a week.
Special Requests
Parent/guardian consent is not required prior to disclosing student records/information to the following:
parent(s)/guardian(s), or eligible students
other school officials, including teachers within the Local School System (LSS) or legally constituted cooperating agencies (e.g., psycho educational programs, regional education service agencies (RESAs), or shared services) when access has legitimate educational purposes
in connection with a student’s application for or receipt of financial aid
to organizations, with the written approval of the Superintendent, conducting a study on behalf of an education agency to develop, validate, or administer predictive tests, to administer student aid, or to improve instruction (information will only be available to those conducting the study with all personally-identifiable data destroyed when they are no longer needed for the purpose of the study)
to accreditation agencies
in compliance with a judicial order
to authorized state or federal representatives evaluating or auditing federally supported educational programs
to the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights
to officials of other schools or school systems in which the student seeks or is eligible to enroll, upon condition that the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) (1) be notified of the transfer, (2) receive a copy of the record if desired, and (3) have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record
to a department of human resources (DHR), department of corrections (DOC), department of juvenile justice (DJJ), or department of labor (DOL) for the purpose of making appropriate education decisions
for any use or purpose other than meeting a requirement under this part
