Annual Notice
Notification of Rights Under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
For Parents and Students of the Ballston Spa Central School District
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the Ballston Spa Central School District (“District”) receives a request for access.
Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
Parents or eligible students may ask the 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 the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the District 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.
- 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.
The following data on students have been designated by the District as directory information and may be released only as deemed necessary and appropriate by District officials: name, address, phone number, date and place of birth, major fields of study, participation in activities and sports, weight and height of athletes, degrees and awards received, dates of attendance, previous educational institution attended.
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 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 District discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- In accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the District must release directory information of secondary students to military recruiters and higher education institutions upon request.
- However, any parent, legal guardian, or student age 18 or older who does not want any or all directory information released must notify the District in writing of this refusal within thirty days of publication of this notice. Refusals should be addressed to the appropriate school office via Ballston Spa Central School District, 70 Malta Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. 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
600 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605