• The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) grants for its parents and students who are over eighteen years of age (“students pro se”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. They are:

     

    1.  The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 calendar days of the date the District receives a request for access.

    Parents or students pro se should submit to the school principal or other appropriate school official a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or student pro se 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 student pro se believes are inaccurate or misleading.

    Parents or students pro se may ask Methacton School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

    If Methacton School District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or student pro se, the District will notify the parent or student pro se of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding their request for the amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be   provided to the parent or student pro se 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 District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a specific 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 performing his or her task.

    A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the District discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

     

    4.  The school may disclose personally identifiable information from the education records of a student who is in attendance at the institution or agency if that information has been  designated as directory information (as defined below). The parent or eligible student has the right to refuse disclosure of directory information if written notice is given to the school within thirty days of the beginning of the school year. Directory information includes the following information related to the student: Name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weights and heights of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, other similar information.

     

    5.  The right to file a complaint with the United States 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 is:

     

    Family Policy Compliance Office

    U.S. Department of Education

    400 Maryland Avenue, SW

    Washington, DC 20202-4605

      

    Regular attendance in the schools of this District is  required by the Board of Education in accordance with the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. The educational program offered by this District is predicated upon the presence of the pupil and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation. For more information regarding the Attendance Policy, please refer to Policy #204, “Attendance” or call the Department of Pupil  Services at 610-489-5000.