Annual Notification to Parents Regarding Confidentiality of Student Education Records
[34 C.F.R. 300.612]

Dear Parent:
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 student's education records. The Governing Board has established written policies regarding the collection, storage, retrieval, release, use, and transfer of student educational information collected and maintained pertinent to the education of all students to ensure the confidentiality of the information and to guarantee parents' and students' rights to privacy. These policies and procedures are in compliance with:

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act; Title 20, United States Code, Sections 1232g and 1232h; and the Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R., Part 99) issued pursuant to such act;

Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT ACT);

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA);

The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act;

20 U.S.C. Chapter 33; and the Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 300); and Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 15, sections 141 and 142.

Student education records are collected and maintained to help in the instruction, guidance, and educational progress of the student, to provide information to parents and staff members, to provide a basis for the evaluation and improvement of school programs, and for legitimate educational research. The students' records maintained by the District may include - but are not necessarily limited to, identifying data, report cards and transcripts of academic work completed, standardized achievement test scores, attendance data, reports of psychological testing, health data, teacher or counselor observations, and verified reports of serious or recurrent behavior patterns.

These records are maintained in the office of the District under the supervision of the school administrator and are available only to the teachers and staff members working with the student. Upon request, the District discloses education records, including disciplinary records, without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Otherwise, records are not released to most agencies, persons or organizations without prior signed and dated written consent of the parent [34 C.F.R. 99.7]. The signed and dated written consent may be in electronic form under certain conditions [34 C.F.R. 99.30].

You shall be informed when personally identifiable information collected, maintained, or used is no longer needed to provide educational services to your child. The information must be maintained for two (2) years after the date your child was last enrolled in this school district.

You have the right to inspect and review any and all records related to your child within forty-five (45) days of the day of receiving a request for access, including a listing of persons or organizations who have reviewed or have received copies of the information [34 C.F.R. 99.7]. Parents who wish to review their children's records should contact the principal for an appointment or submit to the principal a written request that identifies the record(s) you wish to inspect. District personnel will make arrangements for access and notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected. District personnel will be available to explain the contents of the records to you. Copies of student education records will be made available to parents when it is not practicable for you to inspect and review the records at the school. Charges for the copies of records will be costs of copying unless the fee prevents the parent from exercising rights to inspect and review those records.

You have the right to request that an amendment be made to the student's education records and to add comments of your own if you believe information in the record file is inaccurate or misleading [34 C.F.R. 99.7(a)(1)]. You should write the principal, clearly identify the part of the record you want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by you, the District will notify you of the decision and advise you of the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to you when notified of the right to a hearing.

You have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, 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 District 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 District 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 education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Copies of the District student education records confidentiality policies and procedures may be reviewed in the assigned office in each school [34 C.F.R. 99.7]. You have the right to file a complaint with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office in Washington, D.C., concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA [34 C.F.R. 99.7]. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605