The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights concerning the student's education records. They are:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the district receives an request for access.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the district records custodian a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The records custodian will make access arrangements and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be reviewed.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy acts under FERPA.

Parents or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want to be 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.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. The criteria for determining who constitutes a school official and what constitutes a legitimate educational interest must be outlined in the school’s or school district’s annual notification for FERPA rights. A school official typically includes a person employed by the school or school district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board. A school official also may include a volunteer, contractor, or consultant who, while not employed by the school, performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

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, 400 Maryland Avenue S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202

Use of Directory Information and Photos

Federal Law permits a school district to identify specific information as directory information that may be released publicly without the parent's permission. The North Kitsap School District identifies directory information as:

the student's full name
photograph
address
telephone number
date and place of birth
dates of attendance
participation in officially recognized activities and sports
weight and height of members of athletic teams,
dates of attendance
diplomas and awards received
most recent previous school attended

The actual residential addresses of participants in the state Address Confidentiality Program will not be available for release as directory information. Social Security numbers, student identification numbers (with authentication factors such as a secret password or personal identification number) or other personally identifiable information is not considered directory information.

Photos, videos, and information about students may be used in school and district newsletters, email, websites, and social media sites, or released to the news media, as there are many opportunities to recognize student accomplishments and activities throughout the year. Directory information or photos may be used for purposes such as publication of a student directory, school-related fund-raising (North Kitsap Schools Foundation, PTSAs), parent organization mailing lists, school yearbooks, newspapers, commencement programs, and publishing honor rolls. Information will not be released for commercial purposes.

Visit the Directory Information and Photos page to learn about withholding your child's directory information from release.

If the school does not receive a written request by September 15 each year, it will assume that there is no objection to releasing such information.

Annual Notifications