What Is Confidentiality?

• Protection of All Personally Identifiable Data, Information, and Records Collected, Used or Maintained by an Agency

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• Confidentiality Requirements also Apply to Discussions about a Student and the Student’s Records

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Confidential Information

Definition Of The Term Student:

• Those students in “attendance in person or by paper correspondence, video conference, satellite, Internet, or electronic information, and telecommunication technologies for students who are not physically present in the classroom.”

What Laws Protect A Student’s Records?

• FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
• Kentucky Regulations
• IDEIA Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

What Are Educational Records?

• Personal and Family Data
• Evaluation and Test Data
• 504 Plans
• Progress Reports, Report Cards, Work Samples, and Attendance Records
• Written Accounts of Parent/Teacher
• Conferences
• Audio and/or Video Tapes
• Electronic information stored on cell phones, PDA’s, data bases, instant messages, and voice mail- recordings.

What Are Educational Records?

• Medical Records
• Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• Records Maintained by Other Agencies (Health Dept., Private Physical Therapy, or Occupational Therapy Services)
• Information the Agency Uses for Educational Purposes (Psychiatric and/or Mental Health Records)
• Discipline Records

Student’s “Biometric Record”

• The term biometric record is further defined as “a record of one or more measureable biological or behavioral characteristics that can be used for automated recognition of an individual. Ex. Fingerprints, voiceprints, handwriting

What Does Personally Identifiable Information Mean?

• Name of Child, Parent, or Other Family Member
• Address of Child
• A Personal Identification Number (SSN or Student Number)
• Characteristics or Other Information to Identify Child

How Does The School District Insure Student Information and Records Are Kept Private?

• Make Sure ALL Staff is Trained in Confidentiality of Records
• School Based Councils
• School Volunteers, Cafeteria Workers
• Student Teachers
• Paraeducators
• Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers, Bus Aides
• School Nurses
• Office Staff, Custodians, Itinerant Teachers

How Do We Insure Parents See Information Only About Their Child?

• When requesting to view grades – cover all other student names
• Written discipline reports – Do not cite other student’s name (state as another 4^th grade student)
• When speaking with parent, do not mention another student (Confidentiality protects the rights of all parties including other students.)
• Do not discuss other students in meetings (you can discuss plans or strategies you have used with other students).
• Do not discuss other students at the grocery store, ball games, church etc.

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Confidential

How Do We Insure Parents See Information Only About Their Child?

• Parent/Teacher Conferences – Do not share confidential information with grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, etc., unless parent/student representative gives written permission for this third party to hear confidential information.
• Each school must decide how to document for parent conferences and method of

storage.

• Faxing Information – Make sure fax is marked “Confidential Information”.

Confidentiality and E-mail and Telephone Issues

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• Do not include student or teacher names or grades in email.

E-Mail – Include a confidential statement to your signature for each outgoing email. An email is public record and can be forwarded without your permission or can be subpoenaed if a legal issue were to emerge.

• Do not give any information over the

phone. You can not always identify the person on the other end of the line.

E-mail Confidentiality Statement

• NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the named individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information that is privileged or confidential. It is not to be transmitted to or received by anyone other than the named addressee's or a person authorized to deliver it to the named addressee's. It is not to be copied or forwarded to any unauthorized persons. If you have received this electronic mail transmission in error, delete it from your system without copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender of the error by replying via email so that our address record can be corrected.

Issues Regarding Electronic Information

• The contents of personal electronic devices may prove to very embarrassing and provide information that can be used against the school district or you. Consider FERPA’s definition when using: cell phones, voice mail recordings, texting, Facebook, etc.

Confidential Information

• Lesson Plans, Report Cards and Individual Modification Plans should all be marked confidential.
• Substitute folder must include IEP, modifications and behavior intervention plans for students with special needs.

Unprofessional –VS- Professional Sharing of Information

• When talking to a colleague about a student or his family, apply these four questions to determine if the discussion may be violating the student’s confidentiality rights.

Four Questions

• What is discussed?
• Where the discussion takes place?
• Who is listening?
• Why the discussion took place?

Who Can Access Student Records?

• Parents, and/or Student Representative
• Student who is 18 years old or emancipated
• Authorized employees of the district
• Staff from the U.S. and State Dept. of Education on official business.

Recording of Access to Records

• A school must maintain a login the student’s record that identifies each request and disclosure of student records.
• The log must document the names of local, state, and/or federal authorities and officials that may make further disclosure of the information.

Do Guardians, Divorced or Separated Parents, �Foster Parents, and Surrogate Parents �Have the Right to Review A Student’s Records?

• Both parents have a right to view their child’s records unless the school has a divorce decree stating otherwise.
• Joint Custody – Both parents should be given access to student records and decision making.
• Foster parents have a right to review records but can not make educational decisions unless the documentation states otherwise.
• Parents can request interpretation of records.

Translation must be provided in their native

language.

Conditions Where Prior Consent is Not Required:

• Disclosure within agency with legitimate education interest
• To officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll.
• Directory information
• Audit purposes
• Subpoenas or court order
• Financial aid
• Health and safety emergencies

Directory Information May Be� Disclosed If:

• Parents are annually given public notice of the types of information designated as directory information AND
• Given opportunity to refuse.

Directory Information

• Student’ Name
• Student’s Address
• Student’s Telephone Number
• Student’s Date of Birth
• Participation in officially recognized sports and activities
• Student’s weight, height if member of athletic team
• Dates of Attendance
• Awards Received

May A Student Review and Inspect His or Her Own Records?

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• An emancipated student is eligible to obtain access to his or her own records (upon reaching 18^th birthday or marriage).

How Does the School System �Release School Records?

• Parent/Legal guardian or emancipated student must make a written request for release of records to another person or agency.
• Special Education student or student currently being evaluated submits to the Special Education Dept.
• Not in Special Education – Written request still

obtained and need purpose for release.

• Student information may be released to the

Dept. of Social Services

Confidentiality Requirement

• Every employee of a Kentucky Public School District must adhere to confidentiality protection of all students.
• All student information should be kept confidential unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law. Failure to do so may result in the revoking of suspending of KY certification. Protecting students’ confidentiality is the law and also the right thing to do!

Question�#1

The Children’s Corner Daycare calls a local school district and requests that Sue’s school records are forwarded to them. It is a small community and the person receiving the call is familiar with the caller. Can the records be sent under these conditions?

Answer

The records cannot be sent without written parental consent. FERPA and IDEA do not allow a school district to send personally identifiable information to another agency without written parental authorization. A daycare may be providing educational activities for the student; however, they are not a state educational school district or agency.

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Question�#2

Amber’s family moved to the neighboring county. The neighboring school district sent a request for the transfer of records. Can this information be forwarded without parental permission?

Answer

• The records can be sent to the neighboring school. FERPA requirements allow the school district to forward educational records on request to a school in which a student seeks to enroll.
• Federal requirements state that a reasonable attempt is made to notify the parent of the student of the transfer of the records, except when the transfer of records is initiated by the parent, or when the school district includes their Annual Notice that it forwards records on request

to another school district.

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Question�#3

Jane is a bus driver and parent at Brownsville Elementary School. Jane’s close friend asked Jane to check on the progress of the friend’s nephew who also attends Brownsville. Can Jane obtain this information?

Answer

• Jane has no legitimate educational interest in the progress of someone’s nephew; therefore, she has no right to review his progress.
• In order for Jane to review the progress of the nephew, she would have to be working directly with the child, but she still could not share the information with her friend.
• A written consent signed by the parent is �required before educational records � can be released to anyone that � does not have a legitimate � educational interest.

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Question�#4

Sandy lives with her grandparents. Sandy’s parents have legal custody of Sandy, but they have a very limited role in the care of Sandy. Sandy’s teacher would like to initiate a referral due to a suspected learning disability. Who has the right to give written permission to evaluate Sandy for the suspected learning disability?

Answer

• The ARC chairperson can determine that a person is “acting as a parent”, and as such as all the rights of a parent until the parent reappears to reclaim his or her rights. Therefore, Sandy’s grandparents are “acting as a parent” and have the rights of a parent in making education decisions concerning Sandy.
• If the parents still retain educational

rights for their child, they must be the ones to sign permission.

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Question�#5

Matthew’s natural father arrives at Matthew’s school. He requests to see Matthew’s school records. A review of Matthew’s school records indicated that Matthew’s parents are divorced and that Matthew lives with his mother. Can the school allow access to educational records to Matthew’s father?

Answer

Both natural parents are allowed access to the educational records of a child, unless the school has been informed that a parent is not allowed due to some legal action. The fact that Matthew's parents are divorced does not automatically take away his parental rights. If the school does not have a legal document stating that a parent does not have access, then the school allows the natural parent access to their child's educational records.�

Question�#6

Mary is a parent member of a Site Based Decision-Making Council. Mary would like to have a look at the recent state test scores of all the students in Mrs. Reed’s class. Does Mary have access to these records?

Answer

Mary does not have the right to access the students’ educational records. A Site Based Decision-Making member does not have access to personally identifiable information. Parent consent would have to be obtained from each parent to allow Mary access to the students’ educational records.

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Question�#7

Bonnie has recently separated from Fred. Bonnie and Fred are the natural parents of a student in your classroom. Bonnie sends you a note that Fred is not to have any access to any of their child's educational records. Can the school honor Bonnie’s request?

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Answer

Both natural parents are allowed access to the educational records of a child, unless the school has been informed that a parent is not allowed access due to some legal action. The fact that the parents are separated, and the mother has requested that the father not have access does not constitute a legal action. If the school does not have a legal document stating that a parent does not have access, then the school allows the natural parent access to his or her child's

educational records.�

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Question�#8

While shopping at Walmart, an adult in the community asks you, "How is that new guy in your class doing? I heard that the police came to school this week to interview him." What information can you release concerning this student?

Answer

No information may be released to the community member concerning this student. This community member has no legitimate educational interest, and is not accessible to personally identifiable information concerning any student without written consent from a parent. An appropriate response could be, "Due to confidentiality laws, school employees are not permitted to discuss �individual students without �written parent consent."

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• Your supervising teacher will be out for 3 days and a substitute teacher has been hired. He asks you to put the names of the students who go to resource and to speech on the board and their times so he can keep their schedule straight. Can you write the names and special education schedule on the board?
• Question 9

• You cannot post or list the names of students who are in special education on the board, on a chart, or in any other fashion that is observable by any student or visitor to the classroom.
• This information needs to be posted in the substitute teacher folder or in the teacher’s lesson plan book.
• Schedule reminders should NOT be
• posted on student’s desks.
• ANSWER

Congratulations!

• You have just completed the confidentiality training requirements
• Remember you are held accountable for maintaining the confidentiality of student information both at work, at home, and in your community.