FERPA

Each year Coloma Community Schools is required to give notice of the various rights accorded to parents or students pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Parents and eligible students have a right to be notified and informed. In accordance with FERPA, you are notified of the following:

Right to inspect: You have the right to inspect and review substantially all of your education records maintained by or at Coloma Schools within 45 days of the request. This right extends to the parents and to any student 18 years of age or older. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parents(s) or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
Right to request amendment: You have the right to seek to have corrected any part(s) of an education record, which you believe to be inaccurate or misleading. The request for amendment must be forwarded in writing to the principal and clearly state the part of the record to be changed and the reason(s) you believe it to be inaccurate or misleading. This right includes the right to a hearing to present evidence that the record should be changed if a designated official of Coloma Schools decides not to alter the education records according to your request. If no change is made to the education record after the hearing, you have a right to place a written rebuttal in the record.

Right to prevent disclosures: You have the right to prevent disclosure of education records to third parties with certain limited exceptions. It is the intent of the Board of Education to limit the disclosure of information contained in your education records to those instances when prior written consent has been given for the disclosure, as an item of direct information of which you have not refused to permit disclosure, or under the provisions of FERPA which allow disclosure without prior written consent. One exception that 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 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.

Right to complain: You have the right to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning the alleged failure of the Coloma Community Schools to comply with FERPA. Your complaint should be directed to: Family Policy Compliance Officer, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Right to obtain policy: You have the right to obtain a copy of the policy adopted by the Board of Education in compliance with FERPA. A copy may be obtained in person or by mail from: Office of the Superintendent, Coloma Community Schools, 302 W. St. Joseph Street, P.O. Box 550, Coloma, MI 49038.

Right to object to release of directory information: Generally, school officials must have written permission from the parent of a student or an eligible student before releasing any information from a student’s record. However, FERPA allows school districts to disclose without consent, “directory” type information. The Board of Education of Coloma has designated the following personally identifiable information contained in a student’s education record as “directory information”:

Student Name, Address, Telephone Number, Electronic Mail Address, Photograph, Date and Place of Birth, Dates of Attendance, Grade Level, Participation in Activities, Sports, Weight, and height of Athletes, Honors Awards Received.

 

Unless you advise the District that you do not want any or all of this information released, school officials may release personally identifiable information which has been designated as directory information. Upon such objection, this information will not be released without prior consent of the parent or eligible student. You have until September 15 each school year to advise the District in writing of any or all of the types of student information which you refuse to permit the District to release as directory information. Your objections should be addressed to: Coloma Community Schools, P.O. Box 550, Coloma, MI 49038.