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Tri-Town School Union

Serving the communities of Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield

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Annual FERPA Notice

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights under FERPA for Elementary and Secondary Schools

 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are:

  • Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit to the school principal [or appropriate school official] a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect.  The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. 

  • Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the school to amend their child’s or their education record should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed.  If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and 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.

  • 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 set forth 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 in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

     

  • Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC  20202

Annual Notice for Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that schools, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, Tri-Town Schools may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the Tri-Town School to the contrary in accordance with TriTown School Union procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Tri-Town School Union to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

  • A playbill or program, showing your student’s role in a drama production/concert;
  • The annual yearbook;
  • Honor roll or other recognition lists;
  • Graduation programs; 

 

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent.

If you do not want Tri-Town Schools to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the specific school your child attends in writing within 30 days of enrollment.

Directory information:

Name
Address
Phone Number
​​​​​​​Email Address