(Published in the Thursday editions of The Duncan Banner, August 6 and 13, 2015- 2 times) NOTICE OF RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT ("FERPA") AND SCHOOL POLICY From: Duncan Public Schools ("DPS") To: Parents/Guardians of DPS Students and Eligible DPS Students Eligible students are those students of DPS who have reached the age of eighteen (18). Each parent/guardian and eligible student has rights under the FERPA and DPS policy. These rights are as follows: 1. The right of a student's parent/guardian or eligible student to inspect and review the student's education records; 2. The intent of DPS to limit the disclosure of information contained in a student's education record except: (1) by the prior written consent of the student's parent/ guardian or the eligible student, (2) as directory information, or, (3) under certain limited circumstances as permitted by the FERPA; The right of a student's parent/guardian or eligible student to seek to correct parts of the student's education record, which he or she believes to be inaccurate, misleading or in violation of the student's rights (this right includes the right to a hearing to present evidence that the record should be changed if DPS decides not to alter it according to the parent's or eligible student's request and the right to insert in the student's permanent records an explanatory note giving reasons for disagreeing with the decision); 4. The right of any person to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education if DPS violates the FERPA; and 5. Notice that a student's parent/guardian or eligible student may obtain a copy of this policy by contacting the School District's administration office. All rights and protections given a parent/ guardian under the FERPA and DPS policy transfer to the student when the student reaches eighteen (18) years of age or enrolls in a post-secondary school. STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION The FERP A requires that DPS, with certain exceptions, obtain the written consent of the student's parent/guardian or the eligible student prior to disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student's education record. However, the FERPA provides that DPS may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without such written consent, unless DPS is advised to the contrary by the parent/guardian or eligible student in accordance with DPS procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow DPS to include this type of information from the student's education record in certain school publications or for other school purposes. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. A playbill, showing the student's roll in a drama production; 2. The annual yearbook; 3. Honor roll or other recognition lists; 4. Graduation programs; and 5. Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members. Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent/guardian or eligible student's prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories - names, addresses and telephone listings - unless parents/guardians or the eligible student have advised the school district that they do not want their student's information disclosed without their prior written consent. Under its policy, DPS has designated the following student information as "directory information": 1. The student's name; 2. Class designation (i.e. first grade, tenth grade, etc.); 3. The student's extra curricular participation; 4. The student's achievement awards or honors; 5. The student's weight and height if a member of an athletic team; and 6. The student's photograph. Please be advised that DPS may disclose the above directory information in its sole discretion, without your prior written consent unless you notify DPS in the manner provided for below. Please be advised that should you desire that all such directory information or any specific items of directory information not be disclosed by DPS, you should so advise DPS in writing by way of a letter to the Superintendent of DPS. Such letter should be hand delivered or mailed to the Superintendent's office at 1706 W. Spruce, Duncan, Oklahoma 73533, by no later than September 4th of this year. Upon the School District's receipt of any such letter communicating your desire that DPS not disclose such information, the student's record will be appropriately marked that such information is to not be disclosed and such designation will remain in effect until DPS is notified by the written direction of the student's parent/ guardian or the eligible student.
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