Deer Park School District follows laws that allow families to request that student information be kept confidential

Educational records are kept as part of the normal operation of our schools. Under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents/guardians and students over 18 years of age have certain rights concerning how Deer Park School District releases educational records. Washington’s Administrative Code also addresses the disclosure of student records (WAC 132P-33-100) and references applicable sections of FERPA. The school district gives parents/guardians and eligible students an opportunity to tell us what student information must be kept confidential and not released.

Generally speaking, the district cannot release a student’s educational records or information to people or organizations outside the district without written consent from parents/guardians. However, there are exceptions which allow the district to release student information without written consent:

• The district can forward educational records on request to schools in which a student plans to enroll.

• Student information may be disclosed, without consent, to school officials with legitimate educational interests. 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.

School officials include:

• People employed by the district such as administrators, supervisors, instructors, or support staff members, including health or medical staff and law enforcement personnel

• People who serve on the school board

• Person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant or therapist)

• Parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official

• Student information can be released to the appropriate individuals, such as health professionals and law enforcement when eminent danger is present or when student safety is at risk.

Another exception which allows release of student information without written consent from parents/guardians both inside and outside the district is what the law refers to as “directory information.” Deer Park School District does not deliberately give directory information to solicitors who want directory information for commercial purposes. Directory information may be given to parents (e.g. – parent directories), the media (e.g. – sports awards), colleges and universities (e.g. – scholarship information) and the military (e.g. – recruitment). Directory information includes:

• Name

• Home address

• Telephone number(s)

• Date and place of birth

• Parent/guardian names

• Dates of enrollment

• Enrollment status

• Email addresses – including personal, parent and school-assigned

• Diplomas and awards

• Participation in officially recognized activities & sports

• Weight and height of members of athletic teams