School Records

What is in my school records?

School records include most of the information a public school keeps on a student, including grades, disciplinary reports, attendance records, behavior reports and standardized testing results.

Do my parents have a right to see my school records?

Yes, a parent or guardian has the right to see the public school records of his or her child unless the student is 18 or married. At that point, only the student may see school records unless she or he gives permission for her or his parent to see them. An unmarried student under 18 has the right to see some, but not all, of her or his records without parental consent. The Code describes these records as “official administrative records that constitute the minimum personal data necessary for operation of the educational system,” which means identifying data, birth date, academic work completed, level of achievement such as grades and standardized achievement test scores) and attendance data.

What do my parents have to do to see my school records?

Your parents should send a letter to the school principal saying that they want to see all the records the school district has on you. Keep a copy of the letter.

The school has to let them see your records within 45 days of getting the letter, or maybe even sooner if you are a special education student.

Once your parents get your records, they have a right to get copies of all or any part of your school records and have a school official explain what is in your records.

What happens if there's misleading information or something else wrong in my records? What can I do about it?

You and your parents have the right to ask that the records be changed. Put your request in writing. If school officials disagree with you, you can request a hearing to show why you think they should change the records. Even if you lose at the hearing, you can include a statement in the records explaining why you believe the information is wrong. The school must include this statement every time your school records are released to someone else.

Can the school show my records to anyone else?

You have some rights of privacy when it comes to your school records. The school has to get written consent from your parents or you—if you’re 18 or older—before it can show your records to anyone outside the school system. However, the school doesn’t need to get your consent before they can send your records to another school system or college where you plan to enroll. They still must tell you that they are sending the records, give you a copy if you want one and allow you to challenge the records.

Your school can also release “directory information” about you—including your name, address, telephone number, birthday, major field of study, participation in extracurricular activities and date of graduation. But the school has to tell your parents ahead of time what information it will release. Your parents can then ask that any or all of this information about you not be included.

Can the school release my records to military recruiters?

The release of student directory information has become a controversial issue because of the recent increase in military recruiting activity on public school campuses. The federal “No Child Left Behind Act,” passed in January 2002, requires that school districts receiving certain federal funding provide student names, addresses and phone numbers on request to various branches of the United States military for recruiting purposes. But the law also requires that schools give students and parents the opportunity to have their contact information withheld from the military – this is called “opting out.” Students over the age of 18 have final say about the release of their directory information to military recruiters, but a parent can overrule the choice of a minor student. The United States Department of Education has confirmed that schools must honor “opt out” requests made by students in the absence of conflicting direction from parents.

I'm transferring into public school from a private school, and I don't have my records. Can school officials refuse to admit me or let me graduate if they do admit me?

If you don’t have your records, your new school should do its own assessment of your academic levels to place you in classes. The school shouldn’t prevent you from graduating because your records are unavailable.