Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Annual Notice
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Chester Union Free School District takes data privacy very seriously and does everything in its power to ensure the protection of stakeholders' data.
School districts are required to notify parents/guardians and eligible students (students over 18 years of age or attending a school beyond the high school level) about their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This form and others related to data privacy can be found on the Technology and Data Management Department on the Chester District Website.
Please review the notice and feel free to reach out with any questions/concerns.
Daniel Svarczkopf
Director of Data & Technology Management and Data Protection Officer
Chester Union Free School District
845-469-2231 ext. 3305
Click here to email
Annual FERPA Notification
ANNUAL NOTICE
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)
August 28, 2024
Dear Parent/Guardian or Eligible Student:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) affords parents/guardians and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.
1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school district receives a request for access.
Parents/guardians or eligible students should submit to the Building Principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Building Principal will make arrangements for access to notify the parent/guardian or eligible student 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/guardians or eligible students may ask the school district to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write to the Building Principal and clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the school district decides not to amend the record, as requested by the parent/guardian or eligible student, the school district will notify the parent/guardian 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/guardian or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information (PII) 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 district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor or support staff member (including health or medical staff); a person serving on the Board of Education; a person or company with whom the district 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 their tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.
Upon request, the school district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or has enrolled.
4. The right not to have Directory Information disclosed without prior written consent.
This school district designates the following items as Directory Information and may disclose any of these items without prior written consent, unless the Director of School Counseling is notified to the contrary, in writing, by the parent/guardian or eligible student by September 20, 2024.
- Name;
- Address
- Telephone listing
- Date and place of birth
- Major field of study
- Grade level
- Participation in school activities and sports
- Weight and height of members of an athletic team
- Dates of attendance
- Honors, degrees and award
- Email address
- Photograph for use by the District and media
- Name of educational institution previously attended.
5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:
U.S. Department of Education
Student Privacy Policy Office
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202-8520
Or you may file a complaint by email to FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov
6. For High School Students Only: The right not to have your child’s name, address and telephone number disclosed to military recruiters and/or institutions of higher learning without your prior written consent.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires the District to disclose to military recruiters and institutions of higher learning, upon request, the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of high school students, unless you notify the school, in writing, that you do not want such information released by the District without your prior written consent.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are a parent/guardian of a high school junior or senior student or you are a student over the age of 18 and you wish to exercise your option to withhold your consent to the release of the above information to military recruiters and/or institutions of higher learning, you must sign, date and return the attached form to the high school principal by September 30, 2024.