Educational Rights and Student Records

Educational rights are the rights of a "parent," "adoptive parent," "guardian," or another court-appointed individual to make educational decisions on behalf of a minor child.

Education records are defined as those records that contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records.

The district Annual Notification and data confirmation processes outline the definitions and practices related to student information and records, including the ability to opt out of sharing student directory information.

Student Privacy 101 - a video explaining rights related to student information and records.

SDUHSD staff members will not complete subjective ratings, letters, or recommendation forms for K-12 private school admission.

Educational records, such as transcripts, grades, attendance, etc. may be printed from the Aeries Parent Portal. Educational records that are not accessible to parents via the Aeries portal must be requested from the school registrar by the parent/guardian/educational rights holder. Due to student privacy rights, school staff may not release records to outside parties without educational rights holder permission.

Requests for records from a new school where a student is currently enrolling or attending should be addressed to the school registrar.

Education Rights for 18-Year-Old Students

When a student turns 18 years old or enters a post-secondary institution at any age, the rights formerly given to parents under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student (“eligible student”). The FERPA statute is found at 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and the FERPA regulations are found at 34 CFR Part 99. The eligible student has the right to have access to his or her education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, the right to have control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the records, and the right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education.

Although the rights under FERPA have been given to the student, a school may still disclose some information from an “eligible student’s” education records to the parents of the student, without the student’s consent, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes. Neither the age of the student nor the parent’s status as a custodial parent is relevant. If a student is claimed as a dependent by either parent for tax purposes, then either parent may have access under this provision. (34 CFR § 99.31(a)(8)

In an effort to keep parents fully informed in all aspects of their 18-year-old student’s status, adult students may authorize the exchange of health & educational Information with parents by signing a form and submitting it to the school. Parents should review this authorization with 18-year-old students and obtain their consent on or after their 18th birthday. All signed Authorizations may be returned to the school site and records will be updated to reflect an 18-year old student’s consent to allow his/her parents or guardians to have access to health, discipline and education-related matters.

Cuando el estudiante cumpla 18 años de edad, o asista a una institución de educación superior, él/ella se convierte en “estudiante elegible”, y todos los derechos que previamente estaban a cargo del padre o tutor bajo los Derechos Educativos y Privacidad Familiar (FERPA), se transfieren al estudiante. El estatuto FERPA se encuentra en 20 USC §1232g y los reglamentos se encuentran en 34 CFR Parte 99. El estudiante elegible tiene el derecho a obtener acceso a todos sus archivos escolares, el derecho a modificar archivos, el derecho a tener control sobre la divulgación de información personal de sus archivos, así como también el derecho a presentar una queja formal ante el Departamento de Educación.

Sin embargo, después que el estudiante este a cargo de sus derechos, bajo los reglamentos de FERPA, la escuela puede comunicar información limitada, y aun sea considerado como dependiente para propósitos de impuestos, a los padres, sobre los archivos escolares del "estudiante elegible” sin el consentimiento del estudiante. Ni la edad del estudiante ni el estado de los padres como padres con custodia son relevantes. Si uno de los padres pone al estudiante como dependiente en su declaración de impuestos más reciente, la escuela puede revelar sin consentimiento los registros de educación del estudiante a ambos padres, bajo esta disposición. (34 CFR § 99.31 (a) (8)

Esforzándonos, en continuar informándole sobre el progreso educativo en todos los aspectos de su estudiante de 18 años de edad, la Autorización de Intercambio de Información Educativa y de Salud está disponible bajo el enlace “recursos” en la sección a la derecha. Por favor revise esta Autorización junto con su estudiante y obtenga su autorización antes o cuando su estudiante cumpla los 18 años de edad. Todas las formas de Autorización aprobadas, deben ser entregadas a la oficina de consejeros y los archivos serán actualizados y reflejarán el consentimiento, otorgando a los padres o tutores a tener acceso a todos los asuntos relacionados con su salud, disciplina y todo lo relacionado con la educación del estudiante.

SDUHSD RESOURCES

external resources

Student Privacy - US Dept of Education

Teen Health Law