Pupil Records, including Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("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 5 business days after the day Connecting Waters Charter Schools receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the Charter School Executive Director or designee a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect.
   The Charter 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 the Charter School to amend a record should write the Charter School Executive Director or designee, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the Charter School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the Charter School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and of their right to a Public Records 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 Charter 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 Charter School officials with legitimate educational interests. A Charter School official is a person employed by the Charter School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the Charter School board. A Charter School official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the Charter School who performs an institutional service of function for which the Charter School would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another Charter School official in performing his or her tasks. A Charter 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.

Upon request, the Charter School discloses education records without consent to officials of another 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.

Note that Charter School will not release information to third parties for immigration-enforcement purposes, except as required by law or court order.

1. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Charter School 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

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from student's education records, without consent of the parent or eligible student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to Charter School officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the parent or eligible student, §99.32 of the FERPA regulations requires the Charter School to record the disclosure. Parents and eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A Charter School may disclose PII from the education records of a student without obtaining prior written consent of the parents or the eligible student -

1. To other Charter School officials, including teachers, within the educational agency or institution whom the Charter School has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) - (a)(1)(i)(B)(2) are met. (§99.31(a)(1)).
2. To officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student's enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of §99.34. (§99.31(a)(2)).
3. To authorize representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as the State educational agency in the parent or eligible student's State (SEA). Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf. (§§99.31(a)(3) and 99.35).
4. In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. (§99.31(a)(4)).
5. To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. (§99.31(a)(7)).
6. To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.

(§99.31(a)(8)).

1. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. (§99.31(a)(9)).
2. To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to §99.36.

(§99.31(a)(10).

1. Information the Charter School has designated as "directory information" under §99.37. (§99.31(a)(11)).

"Directory Information" is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released. Directory information can 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 year books. The Charter School has designated the following information as directory information:

1. Student's name
2. Student's address
3. Parent's/guardian's address
4. Telephone listing
5. Student's electronic mail address
6. Parent's/guardian's electronic mail address
7. Photograph
8. Date and place of birth
9. Dates of attendance
10. Grade level
11. Degrees, honors, and awards received
12. The most recent educational agency or institution attended
13. Student ID number, user ID, or other unique personal identified used to communicate in electronic systems that cannot be used to access education records without a PIN, password, etc. (A student's social security number, in whole or in part, cannot be used for this purpose.)

If you do not want the Charter School to disclose directory information from your child's education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the Charter School in writing as soon as possible or by the first Monday of October of the current school year. Please notify the Executive Director at: 12420 Bentley Street, Waterford, CA 95386. In your written notice please identify which school you attend: Connecting Waters, or Connecting Waters, East Bay, or Connecting Waters, Central Valley.