To the best of our knowledge we have complied with all rules regulating the release of school information. If you find otherwise, please let us know.

(ORC) 6. Student Records

410 The federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)411 prohibits educational institutions from releasing a student?s ?education records? 412 without the written consent of the eligible student 413 or his or her parents, except as permitted by the Act.414 ?Education records? are records directly related to a student that are maintained by an education agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

415 The term encompasses records such as school transcripts, attendance records, and student disciplinary records.

416 A record is considered to be ?directly related? to a student if it contains ?personally identifiable information.? The latter term is defined broadly: it covers not only obvious identifiers such as student and family member names, addresses, and Social Security Numbers, but also personal characteristics or other information that would make the student?s identity easily linkable.

417 In evaluating records for release, an institution must consider what the records requester already knows about the student to determine if that knowledge, together with the information to be disclosed, would allow the requester to ascertain the student?s identity.

The federal FERPA law applies to all students, regardless of grade level. In addition, Ohio has adopted laws specifically applicable to public school students in grades K-12.

418 Those laws provide that, unless otherwise authorized by law, no public school employee is permitted to release or permit access to personally identifiable information ? other than directory information ? concerning a public school student without written consent of the student?s parent, guardian, or custodian if the student is under 18, or of the student if the student is 18 or older.

419 Directory information? is one of several exceptions to the requirement that an institution obtain written consent prior to disclosure. ?Directory information? is ?information?that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.

420 It includes a student?s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in official recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, date of graduation, and awards achieved.

421 Pursuant to federal law, post-secondary institutions designate what they will unilaterally release as directory information. For K-12 students, Ohio law leaves that designation to each school district board of education. Institutions at all levels must notify parents and eligible students and give them an opportunity to opt out of disclosure of their directory information.

422 Ohio law prohibits release of directory information to any person or group for use in a profit-making plan on activity. A public office may require disclosure of the requester?s identity or the intended use of directory information in order to ascertain if it will be used in a profit-making plan or activity.