The Board of Education recognizes its legal responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of student records. The procedures for ensuring the confidentiality of student records shall be consistent with state and federal law, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and its implementing regulations. Further information regarding student data privacy under New York Education Law Section 2-d is contained in the District’s Information and Data Privacy Security Breach and Notification Policy.
At the time of inspection of student records, appropriate personnel shall be present, when necessary, to prevent misinterpretation by the parent/guardian or eligible student of the meaning of the record, since some records may not be properly evaluated and understood by the parents/guardians or eligible student.
The District will use reasonable methods to provide access to student educational records only to those authorized under the law and to authenticate the identity of the requestor. The District will document requests for and release of records.
The Board also recognizes its responsibility to ensure the orderly retention and disposition of the District’s student records in accordance with the records retention schedule as adopted by the Board in policy 1120.
Additionally, pursuant to Ed. Law §2-d and Commissioner’s Regulations Part 121 the district will only use or disclose student personally identifiable information (including directory information described below) if it benefits students and the district (e.g., improves academic achievement, empowers parents and students with information, and/or advances efficient and effective school operations), except for disclosure required by federal law of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of secondary students to the military and institutions of higher education. The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for ensuring that all requirements under the law and the Commissioner’s regulations are carried out by the District.
Annual Notification
At the beginning of each school year, the District will publish a notification that informs parents, guardians and eligible students currently in attendance of their rights under FERPA and the procedures for exercising those rights. This notice may be published in a newspaper, handbook or other school bulletin or publication. This notice will also be provided to parents, guardians, and eligible students who enroll during the school year. The notice will include the following rights:
- to inspect and review the student’s education records;
- to request that records be amended to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights;
- to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent; and
- to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education alleging failure of the District to comply with FERPA and its regulations.
In addition, the annual notice will inform parents/guardians and eligible students:
- that it is the District’s policy to disclose personally identifiable information from student records, without consent, to other school officials whom the District has determined to have legitimate educational interests. For purposes of this policy, a school official includes an employee (e.g., administrator, supervisor, support staff member, health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a third party provider as defined by law (e.g., a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a task such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); a member of the Board of Education; or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review a student record in order to fulfill her or her professional responsibilities. Volunteers may be considered school officials for purposes of access to personally identifiable information if they are under the direct control of the district, are trained in the requirements of law under this policy, have a legitimate educational interest, and the district uses reasonable methods to limit access to only the information that is necessary to fulfill their volunteer duties. Volunteers may only access the information necessary for the assignment and must not disclose student information to anyone other than a school official with a legitimate educational interest. The Building Principal will provide adequate training on confidentiality of student records;
- that, upon request, the District will disclose education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll;
- that personally identifiable information will be released to third partyauthorized representatives for the purposes of educational program audit, evaluation, enforcement or compliance purposes;
- that the District, at its discretion, releases directory information (see definitionbelow) without prior consent, unless the parent/guardian or eligible student has exercised their right to prohibit release of the information without prior written consent;
- of the procedure for exercising the right to inspect, review and request amendment of student records; and
- that, upon request, the District will disclose a high school student’s name, address and telephone number to military recruiters unless the parents or student exercise their right to prohibit release of the information without prior written consent.
- The District may also release student education records, or the personally identifiable information contained within, without consent, where permitted under federal law and
- The District will provide translations of this notice, where necessary, to parents, guardians and eligible students in their native language or dominant mode of
- Directory Information
- The District has the option under FERPA of designating certain categories of student information as “directory information.” The Board directs that “directory information” include a student’s name, major course of study, participation in school activities or sports, degrees and awards received, and photograph.
The District will notify parents/guardians and eligible students of the types of information designated as directory information, that they have the right to object (or “opt out of”) any or all of the District’s designations for that student, and that they may notify the District at any time during the year that they opt out of a directory information designation. Unless or until an objection is received, the District may release this information without prior approval of the parent/guardian or eligible student for the release, as long as such release is permitted by §2-d and Part 121.
The District may elect to combine both the annual notice of rights under FERPA and the annual notice of “directory information” designations into one notice.
Information about a homeless student’s address shall be treated as a student educational record and shall not be deemed directory information. A parent/guardian or eligible student may elect, but cannot be compelled, to consent to release of a student’s address information in the same way they would for other student education records.
When considering the release of student information, including directory information, the District is required by §2-d and Part 121 to further protect student PII. The District will not sell PII, use or disclose PII for marketing or commercial purposes, or facilitate use or disclosure by another party for marketing or commercial purposes or permit another party to do so. Any use or release of PII must conform to the requirements of §2-d and Part 121. The District will also publish a Parents Bill of Rights for Data Privacy on its website that includes the elements required by law, and supplemental information for third-party contractors receiving PII. See policy 8635 and regulation 8365-R for more information.
Adopted: May 27, 1997
Revised: February 10, 2014
Revised: July 6, 2017
Revised: September 11, 2000
Revised: October 24, 2011
Revised: September 24, 2012
Revised: June 10, 2020
Revised: July 1, 2024
Revised: November 10, 2025
Revised: July 8, 2026