East Greenwich Notification of Rights under FERPA

for Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18

years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These

rights are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the

School receives a request for access.

     Parents or eligible students should submit to the School principal [or appropriate school official] a

written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The School official will make

arrangements for access and notify the parent 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 or eligible

student believes are inaccurate.

     Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate.

They should write the School principal [or appropriate school official], clearly identify the part of the

record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.  If the School decides not to amend the

record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent 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 or eligible

student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information 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 as an ad-

ministrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law

enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Committee; a person or company with whom the School 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 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.

      Upon request, the School discloses education records without consent to officials of

another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures

by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office

that administers FERPA are:

                                                         Family Policy Compliance Office

                                                         U. S. Department of Education

                                                         400 Maryland Avenue, SW

                                                         Washington, DC 20202-5901

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Directory Information

If you do not want the East Greenwich Public School Department to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify us in writing.

The East Greenwich Public School Department has designated the following information as directory information:

• Student’s name
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Address
• Telephone listing
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams
• Electronic mail address
• Photograph
• Degrees, honors, and awards received
• Date and place of birth
• Dates of attendance
• Grade level

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