Policy 5085: Student Records

The Chappaqua Central School District recognizes the importance of keeping accurate and complete records to document student information, educational progress and school performance. The District shall at all times follow the directives of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to protect the confidentiality of student records.

Parents/guardians and eligible students (defined in FERPA as over age 18 or enrolled in post-secondary education) may inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the District. The District shall not release information from student education records without written permission from the parent or eligible student, except when warranted by specific provisions of FERPA.  The District shall notify parents annually of their FERPA rights.

The Chappaqua Central School District designates the following items as Directory Information for FERPA purposes: student's name, school, grade, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, video, audio, for in-school viewing and for news broadcast media, degrees, honors, and awards received; Photographic/digital image, voiceprint, video and streaming video for instructional purposes.

The District may provide the following additional information only to the PTA and other school-affiliated organizations: the parent/guardian name, student/parent/guardian address, parent/guardian email address, and telephone number. The District has the right to disclose any of these Directory Information items without prior written consent unless the Superintendent of Schools is notified to the contrary in writing by the parent or eligible student.

The District may publish school directories listing student and parent names, addresses, telephone numbers, grade levels, homeroom numbers, and bus routes. Such directories shall be used solely by students, parents, and District employees. Directories shall not be given to anyone outside the District or be used for promotion of any activities unrelated to the District. Parents and eligible students may exclude themselves from the school directory listing by written request to the Superintendent of Schools.

Parents can choose to (1) make an appointment to inspect student education records or (2) receive a copy of such records for a fee of 25¢ per page.  Requests for inspection and copies of records must be made as follows:

  1. For Special Education and Section 504 student records – to the Director of Special Education and 504 Services.
  2. For English Language Learner (ELL, ENL) student records – to the Director of Literacy 
  3. For all other student records – to the Building Principal of the school the student attends.

The Superintendent shall develop appropriate regulations to ensure the effective implementation of this policy. 

Reference
Family Education and Privacy Act

Adopted by Board of Education: May 13, 1974

Revised:

  • October 21, 1997
  • April 17, 2007
  • August 21, 2007
  • May 27, 2008
  • October 23, 2013
    November 18, 2020

Regulations