The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.

The District will comply with a parent/guardian/eligible student’s right to inspect educational records. This right is granted using the following procedure:

1. A request to view an educational record shall be granted by the deadline in law (45 days).

2. A request may be orally or in writing to the building principal.

3. The principal shall notify the parent/guardian/eligible student of the time and place when a record may be inspected.

4. The principal or designee shall be present when the parent/guardian/eligible student reviews the record.

5. If circumstances prevent a parent/guardian/eligible student from reviewing the educational record at the school office, the District shall prepare and mail a copy of the record or make alternative arrangements for the parent/guardian/eligible student to review the record. Any expense incurred from copying and/or mailing a record may be charged to the parent/guardian/eligible student at state rates, except as prohibited by law.

A parent/guardian/eligible student has the right to request an amendment to any portion of the educational record s/he believes to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s right to privacy. A parent/guardian/eligible student shall use the following procedure to dispute or request an amendment to an educational record. The procedure shall not be used to dispute a grade, disciplinary decision, or opinions/reflections of a school official contained in an educational record.

1. Any request to amend an educational record shall be made in writing and submitted to the building principal.

2. The principal shall review the request within a reasonable time and approve or deny it. The principal’s decision shall be submitted to the parent/guardian/eligible student. The North Star School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in it programs or activities. If the principal denies the amendment request, s/he shall inform the parent/guardian/eligible student of his/her right to request an appeals hearing.

3. Requests for an appeals hearing shall be submitted to the Superintendent. The hearing shall be held within a reasonable time after the appeal request has been made.

4. The Superintendent shall serve as the hearing officer. A representative of the parent/guardian/eligible student’s choosing may accompany the parent/guardian/eligible student at the parent/guardian/eligible student’s expense. The parent/guardian/eligible student shall have a full and fair opportunity to present evidence related to the amendment request.

5. The superintendent’s decision is final and binding and shall be submitted to the parent/guardian/eligible student at a reasonable time after the hearing.

6. If the superintendent denies the amendment request, s/he will notify the parent/guardian/eligible student within a reasonable time of his/her right to submit a written response commenting on the contested material and/or explaining the disagreement with the hearing officer’s decision. This written response shall be retained and, when applicable, disseminated in accordance with law.

The District may disclose directory information without parental/guardian/eligible student consent if it has given parents/guardians/eligible students reasonable amount of time to opt-out of directory information release. Opt-out forms should be provided at the beginning of the school year and when a student otherwise enrolls in the District. These forms shall contain a reasonable deadline of at least 10 days for parents/guardians/eligible students to opt out. Directory Information is defined as personally identifiable information contained in a student education record that is generally considered not harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed and includes:

1. Address

2. Date and place of birth

3. Dates of attendance

4. Degrees, honors, and awards received

5. Grade level

6. Most recent school attended

7. Name (first and last)

8. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports

9. Photograph

10. School email address

11. Student identification number if it cannot be used alone to access an educational record and is not the student’s social security number.

12. Telephone listing

13. Weight and height of members of athletic teams