The Cornwall-Lebanon School District hereby notifies parents of their right to inspect, review, and receive a copy of the education records of their child maintained by the special education services; to amend the records; and to have the opportunity to request a hearing to verify the content of student records. The School District has established procedures to provide you with access to your child’s education records and protect any personally identifiable information in those records. At your request, you may receive a list of the types and location of education records used by the School District. The School District will also tell you who, other than yourself and authorized school district personnel, has examined your child’s records. You have the right to inspect and review any educational records in relation to your child that are collected, maintained, or used by the school district. You are entitled to review these records within 45 days of a written request to see them or before any action is taken to provide, change, or terminate educational services to your child.
This right of inspection includes:
- An explanation and interpretation of these records by school district personnel;
- Giving you copies of the records, if providing copies is the only way you can effectively exercise your right of inspection and review (the School District does not charge for searching records or retrieving them, but may charge a modest copying fee, depending upon the volume of the records);
- Having your child’s records inspected and reviewed by a representative of your choosing (upon presentation to appropriate school district personnel of a notarized authorization);
- Allowance for disclosure to parents until the eligible student’s graduation, at which time, the right of inspection transfers to the eligible student.
After reviewing your child’s education records, you may ask the school district to change any information you believe is inaccurate or misleading or violates your child’s privacy rights. The School District will make those changes or reject your request within 45 days after the receipt of your request. If your school rejects your request, you have a right to a hearing. The hearing can be held before any school district official who does not have a direct interest in its outcome.
Disclosure of Information and Legitimate Educational Interest
Your school must obtain your consent before allowing information to be used for a purpose other than for which it was collected or before disclosing personally identifiable information about your child to anyone not entitled to see it unless it is a legitimate educational interest. Educational officials have a legitimate educational interest when, in the exercise or completion of their administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or other administrative responsibilities on behalf of the institution, incur the need to know specific information from education records. Educational officials are defined as individuals who have access to information about the student. Outside service providers who perform services contracted by the school district are also granted access to student records as a legitimate educational interest arises.
Confidentiality of Information
School districts, IUs and charter schools maintain records concerning all children enrolled in the school, including students with disabilities. All records are maintained in the strictest confidentiality. Your consent, or the consent of an eligible child who has reached the age of majority under State law, must be obtained before personally identifiable information is released, except as permitted under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The age of majority in Pennsylvania is 21. Each participating agency must protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information at collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction stages. One official at each participating agency must assume responsibility for ensuring the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information. Each participating agency must maintain, for public inspection, a current listing of names and positions of those employees within the agency who have access to personally identifiable information.
For additional information related to student records, please refer to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).