FERPA & Education Records

ANNUAL NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND ELIGIBLE STUDENTS CONCERNING EDUCATION RECORDS

September 11, 2022

To: All parents of students, and eligible students*, currently attending schools in the Windsor Central Supervisory Union and its member districts (the Pittsfield School District and the Windsor Central Unified Union School District):

1. As the parent of a student enrolled in a school in a member district of the Windsor Central Supervisory Union, or as an eligible student, you have the following rights with respect to your child's (or, if an eligible student, your own) education records:
   a.To inspect and review the student's education records;
   b. To seek amendment of the student's education records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights;
   c. To provide consent prior to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that the law allows disclosure without your consent;
   d. To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school district to comply with the requirements of law with respect to your rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  A complaint may be made in writing to the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S Department of Education, 4512 Switzer Building, Washington, DC  20202-4605.   

2. The procedure for exercising your right to inspect and review education records is as follows: schedule an appointment through the school principal to review records with an authorized member of the school staff.

3. The procedure for seeking amendment of education records is as follows: submit a written request to the school principal identifying the part of the record you would like changed and specify why you believe it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights.

4. The supervisory union and its member districts have a policy of disclosing educational records to school officials with a legitimate educational interest without prior consent.  A “school official with a legitimate educational interest is defined as follows: “School official with a legitimate educational interest” means any teacher, administrator, other professional or service provider employed by or contracted with the district to provide educationally-related services (including, but not limited to, consultants, attorneys, auditors, insurers, evaluators, support staff, substitutes, assigned student teachers, interns, volunteers, teacher’s aides), or school board members who need information relating to a particular student in order to carry out his/her official duties for the district.  Where an issue is raised, the principal (or superintendent) shall decide whether an individual has a legitimate educational interest in the information or record.

5. The supervisory union and its member districts forward education records to other agencies or institutions that have requested records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll.

This Annual Notification of Rights is only a summary of rights.  Your rights to inspect and review education records, and the school district's duty to have your written consent prior to disclosure of personally identifiable information, are subject to limitations. Further details are contained in the school district’s detailed student record policy and procedures, and in state and federal law.

*You are an eligible student if you are at least 18 years of age or are attending an institution of post-secondary education.

ANNUAL NOTIFICATION OF DESIGNATION OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION AND RIGHT OF REFUSAL

September 11, 2022

To: All parents of students, and eligible students*, currently attending schools in the Windsor Central Supervisory Union and its member districts (the Pittsfield School District and the Windsor Central Unified Union School District):

Schools in Windsor Central Supervisory Union may disclose designated directory information on students and eligible students without the prior consent of the parent of eligible students, and without any record of such disclosure.  The following types of personally identifiable information have been designated directory information:

• Student’s name, address, date of birth, dates of enrollment;

• Parent or legal custodian’s name and address;

• Student’s grade level classification;

• Student’s participation in recognized school activities and sports;

• Weight and height of member of athletic teams;

• Student’s diplomas, certificates, awards and honors received.

Disclosure may include such personally identifiable information contained or reflected in photographs.

If you are an eligible student and are currently attending a school in any of the above-named districts, or if you are the parent of a student currently attending school in any of the Windsor Central Supervisory Union school districts, you have a right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of these types of information as directory information concerning your child or (if you are an eligible student) yourself, by providing written notice of your refusal, listing the type(s) of information which you refuse to have so designated, to the principal of the school your child attends (or the school you attend, if you are an eligible student), on or before September 25, 2022.

*You are an eligible student if you are at least 18 years of age or are attending an institution of post-secondary education.