FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law, affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.

Their rights are briefly summarized below and are explained more fully in the Board’s Policy and Procedure for Records Management, Acquisition, and Confidentiality, which is on file at the school and is available upon request:

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. Parents/guardians should submit a written request to the Executive Director that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Executive Director will make arrangements for access and notify the requestor 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/guardian or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents/guardian or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write to the Executive Director, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. 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 advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing process will be provided to 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 may include a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law unit personnel); a person serving on the Board of Directors; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as attorney, auditor, medical consultant or therapist); or parent or student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest, if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility. Upon request, Vida Charter School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Please use the following name and address to file:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605