Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
Annual FERPA and Directory Information Notice
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents and eligible students certain rights with respect to student education records. This notice serves as the District’s annual notification to parents/guardians and eligible students regarding those rights.
Rights of Parents and Eligible Students Under FERPA
Parents/guardians of students, and eligible students (students who are 18 years of age or older), have the following rights under FERPA:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the District within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 45 days after the District receives a request for access.
- The right to request amendment of the student’s education records that the parent/guardian or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights.
- The right to provide written consent before the District discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with FERPA requirements.
Disclosure of Education Records Without Consent
FERPA permits the District to disclose education records without prior written consent in certain circumstances, including but not limited to:
- Disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests
- Disclosure to another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll
- Disclosure to authorized federal, state, and local authorities for audit or evaluation purposes
- Disclosure in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or received
- Disclosure to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
- All disclosures are made in accordance with FERPA and applicable state and local laws.
Directory Information
FERPA permits the District to designate certain information as directory information, which may be disclosed without prior written consent unless a parent/guardian or eligible student opts out.
Designated Directory Information
The District has designated the following information as directory information:
- Student name
- School name
- Grade level
Information Not Designated as Directory Information
The District does not designate the following as directory information and will not disclose such information without prior written consent, except as permitted by law:
- Home address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Student identification numbers
- Date or place of birth
- Photographs or video images
- Participation in activities or athletics
- Academic records, schedules, or attendance information
Right to Opt Out of Directory Information Disclosure
- Parents/guardians and eligible students have the right to refuse disclosure of directory information.
- To opt out, a written request must be submitted to the student’s school within fifteen (15) school days of this notice. Written requests may be submitted in paper or electronic form, as directed by the school.
- If no opt-out request is received within this timeframe, the District may disclose directory information as defined above.
Questions and Additional Information
Questions regarding student education records, FERPA rights, or directory information may be directed to the student’s school.
General FERPA-related questions may also be submitted to FERPA@slps.org