FERPA Compliance

The Family Education 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. These rights are:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the School receives a request for access.

Parent or eligible students should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school official) a written request that identifies the record(s) 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, mislead, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the school to amend a record should write the school principal (or appropriate school official), 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 when notified of the right to a hearing.

(3) The right to consent to disclosure 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 school 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 school has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using its own employees or officials (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.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure by the School District of the City of River Rouge to comply with the requirements of FERPA. 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 20202-5920

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that the School District of the State of Michigan, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, the School District of the City of River Rouge may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you had advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the School District of the City of River Rouge to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications.

Examples include:

• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production
• The annual yearbook
• Honor roll or other recognition lists
• Graduation Programs
• Sports activity sheets, such as 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’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 (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three direction information categories – names, address, and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. If you do not want the School District of the City of River Rouge to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the District in writing by December 12, 2011. The School District of the City of River Rouge has designated the following information as directory information:

Student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, grade level, dates of attendance, participation in official recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors, and awards received, and most recent educational agency or institution attended.

Right to Know

Parents Do You Know?
 

Parents of the children that attend River Rouge Schools are encouraged under the “No Child Left Behind” Act (NCLB) to understand their rights in regards to school options for their children.

River Rouge Schools is pleased to collaborate with the federal guidelines by sharing these rights with the entire community, not just parents.

The following documentation and information can be accessed through Central Office or on the District website at RiverRougeSchools.org. Please send all requests in writing to Mr. Derrick R. Coleman, Superintendent of Schools, 1460 W. Coolidge Highway, River Rouge, MIchigan 48218.

• Parents have the right to request the qualifications of their child’s teacher.
• Parents have the right to review the district’s annual report to locate academic achievement data from each building and the district.
• Parents have the right to review the district excellence plan or building plans to locate information on the district/building goals, strategies, and timelines.
• Parents have the right to attend any and all district or building school improvement meetings.
• Parents will be notified by the district after four weeks if their child’s teacher has not yet met the definition of “highly qualified” and what the district is doing to assist the teacher in meeting that federal requirement.
• Parents have the right to request information about what the State and district are doing to help schools that are in program improvement.
• Parents have the right to request the information regarding school transfer options.
• Parents have the right to request information on supplemental service providers and options.
• Parents have the right to know: River Rouge Schools protects the rights of homeless children, youth, and families by assisting with school enrollment, transportation, student services, and educational program.