• Confidentiality Notice

     

    Notification of Rights under FERPA and Directory Information

     

    The Big Beaver Falls Area School District protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable information regarding all students including students with disabilities, children thought to have disabilities, protected handicapped students (if not protected by IDEA or Pennsylvania Special Education Regulations_ and children who are identified as gifted, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable federal and state laws, policies and regulations.

    Education records refer to those documents or records that are directly related to the student, including information stored in a computer, through media, and on videotape, which are maintained by the BBFASD. For all students, the BBFASD maintains education records that include, but are not limited to, the following:

    •        Personal Identifiable Information – Confidential information that includes, but is not limited to the student’s name, name(s) of parent(s)/guardian(s) and other family members, the address of the student and the student’s family.
    •        Directory Information – Information contained in an education record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy, if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic teams, dates of attendance, grades and awards received, information for the annual yearbook, graduation programs, honor rolls, etc. and the name of the most previous educational agency attended.

    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) Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have 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 or eligible students should submit to the School principal 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) Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate.  They should write the School principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. 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 procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

    (3) Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to consent to disclosures 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 to perform a special task (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.

    Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

    (4) The school district is required by the National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law #107-107) to provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as provided to postsecondary institutions or to prospective employers; and shall provide students’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers to military recruiters, when requested, unless a parent/guardian has opted out of providing such information in writing to the school principal.

    (5) Parent(s)/Guardian(s) have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  Complaints may be filed with: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC  20202-5901.

     

    Student’s special education and gifted records are maintained by the Special Education Office at the BBFASD Central Administrative Offices. The student’s official transcript is kept for 99 years. The initial and final IEP or GIEP is also retained for 99 years.