The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends school beyond the high school level.

Can I see my child's educational records?

If your child is under 18-years old, you have the right to inspect and review his/her school records unless your rights have been terminated under state law. The school district must provide you with the opportunity to inspect and review your child's school records . Your request must be in writing and you will need to make an appointment with either the principal or the director of special education.

  Can anyone else see my child's school records without my consent?

School district employees can access your child's education records when they need to do so in order to perform their job responsibilities. If your child transfers to a different school district, the employees of the new district also have access to your child's school records. In addition, school districts are required by law to share information with certain government agencies, including the State Department of Education, and to organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions. The school district is required to keep a record of persons, other than school district employees, who access your child's school records.

  How can I obtain a copy of my child's school records?

 Your request for a copy of your child's school records must be submitted to the school district in writing. The school district may take a reasonable amount of time to provide you with a copy of your child's records. The school district may charge a fee for copies of your child's school records.

  What should I do if I find false or misleading information in my child's school records?

 You may request in writing that the school district change your child's school records if you believe them to be inaccurate, misleading, or to violate the privacy or other rights of your child. When you ask the school district to change your child's records, the school district must act upon the request within a reasonable period of time. If your request is refused, you have the right to a hearing under the FERPA. If, as a result of the hearing, the hearing officer denies your request to change your child's records, you have the right to place a statement in your child's records regarding your concerns. This statement must be maintained in your child's records as long as the documents you object to are maintained, and your statement must be released whenever those documents are disclosed.

 Do I have a right to review my child's record when he becomes an adult student?

Until your child reaches age 18, you have access to all educational records maintained by the school. After the transfer of rights to your child upon reaching the age of majority (see next section), you have the right of access to your child's educational records only if you have your child's written consent for access unless you maintain your child as a dependent for tax purposes.

 What if I move?

If you move within Michigan, the staff at the new school district in which you enroll your child must notify Hartland Consolidated Schools and within ten days, Hartland Consolidated Schools must send your child's education records to the new school. The new school district must provide services that are comparable to the services described in your child's IEP until or unless the school district develops a new IEP.