Jerome Joint School District No. 261

STUDENTS 3570P

Student Records

Maintenance of School Student Records

The District shall maintain a record for each student that shall contain information, including but not limited to the

items listed below:

1. Birth Certificate

2. Proof of Residency

3. Unique Student Identifier

4. Basic Identifying Information

5. Academic Transcripts

6. Immunization Records

7. Attendance Records

8. Intelligence and Aptitude Scores

9. Psychological Reports

10. Achievement Test Results

11. Participation in Extracurricular Activities

12. Honors and Awards

13. Special Education records (maintained pursuant to IDEA requirements);

14. Teacher Anecdotal Records

15. Verified Reports or Information From Non-Educational Persons

16. Verified Information of Clear Relevance To The Student’s Education

17. Log Pertaining To Release This Record

18. Disciplinary Information

Information in student files, including electronic, shall be maintained for a period of 7 (seven) years after a student

graduates, at which time all records will be purged except a student’s transcript which will be kept permanently.

The transcript will include, but not limited to the following information: identifying information, academic

transcripts, graduation confirmation, class rank, and date of graduation/withdrawal.

Special Education Records shall be maintained in accordance with then-applicable special education laws, such

may change from time to time.

The District’s public records custodian, in conjunction with the Superintendent and their designee, including the

building principal, shall be responsible for the maintenance, retention, or destruction of a student’s records, in

accordance with the District’s procedure established by the Superintendent.

The unique student identifier is a number issued and assigned by the State Department of Education to each

student currently enrolled or who will be enrolled. The unique student identifier shall follow the student from

each school district or local educational agency (LEA) or upon return to a school district or LEA after an absence

 no matter the length of absence.

Access to Student Records

The District shall grant access to student records as follows:

1. The District or any District employee shall not release, disclose, or grant access to information found in

    any student record except under the conditions set forth in this policy and consistent with the provisions

    of state and federal law.

2. The parents of a student under eighteen (18) years of age shall be entitled to inspect and copy

     information in the child’s school records. Such requests shall be made in writing and directed to the

     records custodian. Access to the records shall be granted within five (5) school days of the District’s

     receipt of such a request unless state or federal law specifically provides another length of time.

Where the parents are divorced or separated, both shall be permitted to inspect and copy the student’s

school records unless a court order indicates otherwise. The District shall send copies of the following to

both parents at either one’s request, unless a court order indicates otherwise:

A. Academic progress reports or records;

B. Health reports;

C. Notices of parent-teacher conferences;

D. School calendars distributed to parents/guardians; and

E. Notices about open houses and other major school events, including pupil-parent interaction.

When the student reaches eighteen (18) years of age, graduates from high school, marries, or enters

military service, all rights and privileges accorded to the parent become exclusively those of the student.

The parents of dependent students, as defined by the I.R.S. (i.e. student termed dependent for income tax

purposes) may have access to student educational records if the parents establish, via either a copy of the

applicable tax forms and/or a Parental Affidavit for Educational Records attesting to the student’s

dependent status.

Access shall not be granted to the parent or the student to confidential letters and recommendations

concerning the admission to a post-secondary educational institution, applications for employment, or

the receipt of an honor or award, if the student has waived their right of access, after being advised of

their right to obtain the names of all persons making such confidential letters or statements.

3. The District may grant access to, or release information from, student records to employees of officials of

     the District or the Idaho State Board of Education, provided a current, demonstrable, educational or

     administrative need is shown, without parental consent or notification. Access in such cases shall be

     limited to the satisfaction of that need.

4. For purposes of an audit or evaluation by a federal or state-supported education program, and to comply

    with federal requirements related to such a program. The receiving entity must be a state or educational

    authority or another entity allowed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), or must be

    an authorized representative of such an entity.

For each new audit, evaluation, or enforcement effort, the District shall enter into a written agreement

when designating anyone other than its employee as its authorized representative. The District shall be

responsible for using reasonable methods to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that the

authorized representative

A. Uses the personal information only for the authorized purpose;

B. Protects the personal information from further unauthorized disclosures or other uses; and

C. Destroys the personal information when it is no longer needed for the authorized

     purpose. Such destruction shall be effected by any specified time period set forth in the

     written agreement.

5. The District may grant access to, or release information from, student records without

    parental consent or notification to any person, for the purpose of research, statistical reporting, or

    planning, provided that no student or parent can be identified from the information released, and the

    person to whom the information is released signs an affidavit agreeing to comply with all applicable

    statutes and rules pertaining to school student records. Any such release in this regard shall be consistent

    with Idaho Code and Policy 3575 relating to the limitations on the release of student data.

6. The District shall grant access to or release information from a student’s records pursuant to a court

    order, provided that the parent shall be given prompt written notice, upon receipt of such order, of its

    terms, the nature and substance of the information proposed to be released, and an opportunity to

    inspect and copy such records and to challenge their contents. However, there are very limited

    circumstances under the USA Patriot Act where schools are required to disclose information without

    notice to the parent or student to the Attorney General of the United States upon an ex parte order in

    connection with the investigation or prosecution of terrorism crimes or other such specified situations

    when the court order prohibits disclosure (i.e. Federal Grand Jury Subpoena or Law Enforcement

    Subpoena wherein such order indicates disclosure is not permitted).

7. The District shall grant access to or release information from any student record as specifically required by

     federal or state statute.

8. The District shall grant access to or release information from student records to any person possessing a

    written, dated consent, signed by the parent or eligible student with particularity as to whom the records

    may be released, the information or record to be released, and the reason for the release. One (1) copy

    of the consent form will be kept in the records, and one (1) copy shall be mailed to the parent or eligible

    student by the Superintendent. Whenever the District requests the consent to release certain records,

    the records custodian shall inform the parent or eligible student of the right to limit such consent to

    specific portions of information in the records.

9. The District may release student records to the Superintendent or an official with similar responsibilities

     in a school in which the student has enrolled or intends to enroll, upon written request from such official.

10. Prior to the release of any records or information under items 6, 7, 8 and 9 above, the District shall

      provide prompt written notice to the parents or eligible student of this intended action except as

     specified in item 6. This notification shall include a statement concerning the nature and substance of the

     records to be released and the right to inspect, copy, and challenge the contents.

11. The District may release student records or information in connection with an emergency, without

     parental consent, if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the

     student or other persons. The records custodian shall make this decision taking into consideration the

     nature of the emergency, the seriousness of the threat to the health and safety of the student or other

     persons, the need for such records to meet the emergency, and whether the persons to whom such

     records are released are in a position to deal with the emergency. Any release that is made must be

     narrowly tailored considering the immediacy, magnitude, and specificity of the information concerning

     the emergency and the information should only be released to those persons whose knowledge of the

     information is necessary to provide immediate protection of the health and safety of the student or other

     individuals (i.e. law enforcement, public health officials, trained medical personnel). The exception is

     temporarily limited to the period of the emergency and does not allow for a blanket release of personally

     identifiable information from a student’s records. The District shall notify the parents or eligible student

     as soon as possible of the information released, the date of the release, the person, agency or

     organization to whom the release was made, and the purpose of the release.

12. The District may disclose, without parental consent, student records or information to the youth court

      and law enforcement authorities pertaining to violations of the Idaho Youth Court Act or criminal laws by

      the student.

13. The District will comply with an ex part order requiring it to permit the U.S. Attorney General or designee

       to have access to a student’s school records without notice to or consent of the student’s

       parent(s)/guardian(s).

14. The District charges a fee for copying information in the student’s records. No parent or student shall be

       precluded from copying information because of financial hardship. See Policy 4260 for information

       regarding the District copy fee schedule.

15. A log of all releases of information from student records (including all instances of access granted,

      whether or not records were copied) shall be kept and maintained as part of such records. This log shall

      be maintained for the life of the student record and shall be accessible only to the parent or eligible

      student, records custodian, or other person. The record of release shall include:

A. Information released or made accessible.

B. The name and signature of the records custodian.

C. The name and position of the person requesting the release or access.

D. The legitimate interests the parties had in requesting or obtaining the information;

E. The date of the release or grant of access.

F. A copy of any consent to such release.

G. Any additional information required by state or federal law.

Directory Information

In accordance with federal and state laws, the Joint Jerome School District may release student directory

information for various purposes. Student directory information is defined by the District’s Board of Trustees and

may include:

1. Student name

2. Major field of study

3. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports

4. Weight and height of members of athletic teams

5. Period of Attendance in School

6. Honors, awards and degrees received

7. School and grade level

8. A student’s photo solely for the purpose of publication or recognition of a student’s honors, awards,

or achievements, or for any District informational or promotional use on its social media or other

publications, or for any yearbook.

9. Previous educational agencies or institution attended by the student

Public disclosure of student directory information may occur in many ways, including

1. School yearbooks (including photos)

2. Teams rosters and class lists

3. Graduation, theater, athletic, and music programs

4. Video performances, school activities, and athletic events

5. Articles about school activities and athletic events

6. School honor roll, scholarships and other awards

7. Releases to media.

Any parent(s)/guardian(s) or eligible student may prohibit the release of any or all of the above information by

delivering a written objection to the building principal within thirty (30) days of the date of this notice. No directory

information will be released within this time period, unless the parent(s)/guardian(s) or eligible student are

specifically informed otherwise.

Military Recruiters/Institutions of Higher Education

Pursuant to federal law, the District is required to release the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all high school students to military recruiters and institutions of higher education upon request. The notification to parents and students concerning school records will inform them of their right to object to the release of this information.

Student Record Challenges

The parents may challenge the accuracy, relevancy or propriety of the records, except (1) grades, and (2)

references to expulsions or out-of-school suspensions, if the challenge is made when the student’s school records

are being forwarded to another school. They have the right to request a hearing at which each party has:

•  the right to present evidence and to call witnesses;

•  the right to cross-examine witnesses;

•  the right to counsel;

•  the right to a written statement of any decision and the reasons therefor;

•  the right to appeal an adverse decision to an administrative tribunal or official, to be established or

        designated by the State Board.

The parents may insert a written statement of reasonable length describing their position on disputed information.

The school will include a statement in any release of the information in dispute.

Legal Reference: 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. 99 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act,

I.C. § 33-209 Transfer of Student Records - Duties

I.C. § 32-717A Parents’ Access to Records and Information

Policy History:

Adopted on: 04/28/2009

Revised on: 09/28/2010

Revised on: 12/15/2015

Revised on: 12/14/2021

Revised on: 02/27/2024