WCPS Student Handbook 2023-2024

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA) ANNUAL NOTICE Notification of Rights under FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older the following rights with respect to the student's education records. 1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day WCPS receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit to the school principal or the district’s custodian of records a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. 2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Parents or eligible students who wish to ask WCPS to amend their child’s or their education record should write the school principal or the district’s custodian of records to clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing. 3. The right to provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from 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 includes administrators, supervisors, teachers, school nurses, health care professionals who work with the schools, school security personnel, school attorneys and auditors, and others acting on behalf of the school system who need access to fulfill their responsibilities and are under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, WCPS may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school or school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer. 4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by WCPS to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are: Student Privacy Policy Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202

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