Student Records - West Aurora School District 129

Students with backpacks walk towards a building entrance as a group of people in orange shirts clap in the background.

A student’s school records are confidential, and information from them will not be released other than as provided by law. State and federal law gives the parent/guardian and eligible students certain rights with respect to their student records.

Rights to Student Records

Inspect and copy the student’s education records no later than 10 business days after the day the school receives a request for access, unless the District extends the response time by no more than 5 business days from the original due date. There may be a charge for copies, not to exceed $.35 per page. This fee will be waived for those unable to afford such cost. This includes the right to review and copy a student’s school records prior to any special education eligibility or IEP meeting.
Request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent/guardian or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under state and federal law.
Request removal from the student’s academic transcript of one or more scores received on college entrance examinations through the submission of a written request stating the name of each college entrance examination that is subject of the request and the dates of the scores that are to be removed.
Provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (“PII”) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that state and federal law authorize disclosure without consent. The District may disclose PII from the education records of a student without obtaining prior written consent of the parent(s)/guardian(s) or the eligible student:
- To other school officials, including teachers, whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests. A school official includes, but is not limited to, a person within the District such as an administrator, supervisor, teacher, instructor, support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel), volunteers, 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, accountant, insurance provider, therapist, physician, educational technology vendor, collection agency, contractor, consultant, other party to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, or other business services in consultation with individuals and organizations outside the institution), 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 including, but not limited to, an educational interest in the student, or in the management and administration of education in the District as a more general matter or provision of services related to the institution’s mission.
- 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.
- To persons authorized or required by state or federal law to gain such access, as provided in the regulations.
- To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency.
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
- Information the District has designated as “directory information” (see below).

Any release of information other than specified above requires the prior, specific, dated, written consent of the parent/guardian or eligible student. A record of any release of information shall be made and kept as part of the student’s school record.

Copy any student school record that is proposed to be destroyed or deleted.
Prohibit the release of directory information concerning the student.
Request the military recruiters or institutions of higher learning not be granted access to the name, address, and telephone numbers of a secondary school student without prior written consent.
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) administers FERPA, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that require local educational agencies that receive ESEA funds to provide military recruiters with contact information on students unless their parents/guardians opt out of the disclosure. You may contact the United
States Department of Education at the following address: Family Policy Compliance Office - U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Permanent Records

Permanent records shall consist of basic, identifying personal information necessary to a school in the education of a student:

Student and parent/guardian names and addresses
Birth date and place
Gender
Attendance record
Accident reports and health records
Academic transcript—including grades, class rank, grade level achieved and, if allowed by District policy, scores on college entrance examinations when requested in writing by a student, parent/guardian, or the person who enrolled the students
Honors and awards received
School-sponsored activity information
Proof of release of permanent record information

Permanent records will be maintained for 60-years after the student has withdrawn from school or has graduated. Temporary records will be maintained for 5-years after the student has withdrawn from school. The school shall notify the parent/guardian and student of the destruction schedule for both permanent and temporary student records and of the right to request a copy of such records prior to destruction. After 5-years, special education records may be transferred to the custody of the parent/guardian of the student, if the student has succeeded to the rights of the parent/guardian. The further usefulness of these records will be explained if requested.

Temporary Records

Temporary records consist of all information not required in the student’s permanent records:

Family background information
Aptitude information
Psychological evaluations
Achievement test results
Disciplinary information
Special education files
Section 504 Educational Plans
Any verified information from non-educational agencies or persons
Proof of release of temporary record information

“Directory Information” may be released to the general public unless a parent/guardian or eligible student informs the District in writing within 10 school days after publication of this Notice that such directory information with respect to his/her student shall not be released. Directory information includes the following:

Student’s Full Legal Name
Student’s grade level
Student’s Address
Student’s Gender
Student’s Birthdate and Place
Parent/guardian names, addresses, electronic mail addresses, and telephone numbers
Photographs, videos, or digital images used for informational or news-related purposes (whether by a media outlet or by the school) of a student participating in school or school-sponsored activities, organizations, and athletics that have appeared in school publications, such as yearbooks, newspapers, or sporting or fine arts programs, academic awards, degrees, and honors.
Information in relation to school-sponsored activities, organizations, and athletics.
Major Field of Study
Period of Attendance in School

Additionally, student name and address information may be provided to law enforcement agencies in an effort to assist in maintaining a safe school and community environment for students, staff, and community members.

If a parent/guardian or eligible student does not want some or all directory information shared, they must notify the building principal in writing. This request must be submitted to the District no later than the student’s first day of school.

No photographs highlighting individual faces is allowed for commercial purposes, including solicitation, advertising, promotion of fundraising without prior, specific, dated and written consent of the parent of the student, as applicable; and no image on a school security video recording shall be designated as director information.

Both parents/guardians have a right to see the school records of their student unless there is a certified copy of a court order on file at the school that specifically denies access to school records. Questions about these rights should be directed to the school office.

No person may condition the granting or withholding of any right, privilege or benefits or make as a condition of employment, credit, or insurance the securing by any individual of any information from a student’s temporary record which such individual may obtain through the exercise of any right secured under state law.

No student record (official or unofficial) can be withheld due to unpaid fees/fines or because of missing books or equipment.

For the annual notice about the District’s educational technology vendors pursuant to the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA), 105 ILCS 85/28(e), added by P.A. 101-516, please review the Student Data Privacy; Notice to Parents About Educational Technology Vendors located on District 129’s website.