Required Annual Notices 2022-2023
( f ) Other information that , alone or in combination , is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community , who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances , to identify the student with reasonable certainty ; or ( g ) Information requested by a person who the educational agency or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates .
Uses of Personally Identifiable Information : The district may disclose personally identifiable information from the education records of a student without written consent of the parent / guardian ( s ) or the student or the eligible student in several situations . See 34 C . F . R . Part 99 . Some important examples of when no consent to release information include ( list not exhaustive ):
1 . To other school officials , including teachers , guidance counselors , nurses , and I . U . personnel within the District who have been determined by the District to have legitimate educational interests or are providing instruction or services to students . The District has determined that all school employees involved in the direct supervision of a student ( academic or non-academic ) ( including support staff ) have a legitimate educational interest in academic and health related student information if the information is necessary to ensure appropriate fulfillment of their professional duties and to ensure the health and safety of the student .
2 . To officials of another school or school system or postsecondary schools in which the student seeks or intends to enroll , subject to the requirements set forth in 99.34 . Parents may request a copy of the record sent .
3 . To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency , subject to the conditions set and 99.36 , if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals .
4 . To authorized representatives of the U . S . Comptroller General , the U . S . Attorney General , the U . S . Secretary of Education , or State and local educational authorities , such as the State educational agency in the parent or eligible student ’ s State ( SEA ). Disclosures under this provision may be made , subject to the requirement of 99.35 , in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal or State supported education programs , or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs . These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside agencies that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit , evaluation or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf .
5 . Information designated by the District as Directory Information .
6 . Generally , schools must have written permission from the parent / guardian or eligible student in order to release any information from a student ’ s education record . However , FERPA allows schools to disclose those records , without consent , to the following parties or under the following conditions ( 34 CFR § 99.31 ):
• Specified officials for audit and evaluation purposes
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
• Organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the school
• Accrediting organizations
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
• State and local authorities , within the juvenile justice system , pursuant to specific state law
• Contracted , consultant , volunteer , or other party to whom an agency or institution has outsourced institutional services or functions may be considered a school official under this paragraph--- ( 1 ) Performs an institutional service or function for which the agency or institution would otherwise use employees ; ( 2 ) Is under the direct control of the agency or institution with respect to the use and maintenance of education records ; and ( 3 ) Is subject to the requirements of § 99.33 ( a ) governing the use and redisclosure of personally identifiable information from education records .
( ii ) An educational agency or institution must use reasonable methods to ensure that school officials obtain access to only those education records in which they have legitimate educational interests . An educational agency or institution that does not use physical or technological access controls must ensure that its administrative policy for controlling access to education records is effective and that it remains in compliance with the legitimate educational interest requirement .
When providing records to authorized third parties , the District will make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent / guardian ( s ) of the student or the eligible student of the transfer of the records at the last known address of the parent ( s )/ guardian ( s ) or eligible student . Per state law , the District will not provide any notice of transfer of records of a student to a school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll .
The District maintains student records in a locked storage room located at South Fayette High School . This storage room contains special education student records , gifted education student records , student health records , 504 Student Service Plan records , etc . Current original special education records with psychological records are maintained in the Department of Student Support Services . All district records of students ( K-12 ) who were evaluated by the school psychologist ( s ) and found not to be non-exceptional are kept and are secured in the school ( s )’ offices . All records are kept in a secure location and access to files is limited .
PLEASE NOTE : SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 216 PROVIDES RESIDENT STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS WITH NOTICE THAT THE DISTRICT MAY DESTROY RECORDS UNDER THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES AND TIMELINES :
a . Records that include a student ’ s name , address , grades , attendance records , classes attended , grade level completed and year completed may be destroyed once 100 years have passed since the student ’ s 24th birthday .
b . Special Education records , Section 504 records , Instructional Support Team ( IST ) records , and health records may be destroyed once 10 years have passed from the date a student has graduated or reached graduation age ( if exiting the district before graduation ) as long as there is no outstanding request to inspect and review the records and the records are no longer deemed useful to the school district .
c . Notice of destruction of these records is provided annually via this publication . Educational records of a student are longer needed by the District to provide educational services at the end of one year following a student ’ s graduation from the District . A parent / guardian may submit a written request for the destruction of all education records at that time .
d . Destruction will proceed where parents or eligible students have not requested copies by November 1st of the year the records may be destroyed as per paragraphs A & B above . Parents or students over eighteen have the right to request a copy of their record before destruction .
Parents are reminded that copies of the records might be needed for the acquisition of Social Security benefits or for other purposes .
Amendment of Education Records : A Parent / guardian or eligible student has the right to request amendment of a student ’ s educational file if it is believed that any information is inaccurate , or in violation of a student ’ s rights . The educational agency shall decide within a reasonable time whether to amend the record . If the school district decides not to amend the educational record it shall notify the parent / student of the right to and arrange an informal hearing . The hearing will be conducted by an official of the District without an interest in the outcome , who will be either the Assistant Superintendent or their designee . The parent may present relevant evidence . The District will issue a written decision based on the hearing .
Informal inquiries may be sent to : ferpa @ ed . gov or ppra @ ed . gov . The website address is : www . ed . gov / policy / gen / guide / fpcd
Complaints regarding violation of rights accorded parent ( s )/ guardian ( s ) and eligible students with respect to student records are to be submitted to Director of Student Support Services , South Fayette Township School District , at 3660 Old Oakdale Road , McDonald , PA , 15057-3544 , in writing . All Complaints will be investigated and responded to in writing within a reasonable period of time . If complaints cannot be satisfactorily resolved by the District , complaints can be filed with the following
Family Policy Compliance Office U . S . Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue , SW Washington , D . C . 20202-4605
Questions regarding the above information or requests for a copy of the records policy may be referred to : Director of Student Support Services , South Fayette Township School District , 3660 Old Oakdale Road , McDonald , PA 15057-3544 .
Screening and Evaluation
The South Fayette Township School District employs the following procedures for locating , identifying and evaluating the needs of school age students who may require special education programs and / or services . These procedures , as required by state regulation , are as follows : As prescribed by Section 1402 of the Pennsylvania school code , the district routinely conducts health screenings for kindergarten ( K ) through 12th grade students and new students without history of recent exams : Vision ( Gr . K-12 ); Hearing ( Gr . K , 3 , 7 and 11 and any student with a known history of hearing loss ); Mandated Physical Exams ( Gr . K , 6 , and 11 ); Dental Screenings ( Gr . K , 1 , 3 , and 7 ); Scoliosis Screening ( Gr . 6 , 7 ) and Body Mass Index ( BMI ) screening ( Gr . K-12 ). Also , school nurses provide vision and hearing screenings for students who are referred for an evaluation or reevaluation regarding Chapter 14 / Individualized Education Plan ( IEP ) special education services and Chapter 15 / 504 Student Services Plan accommodations . Speech and language skills are screened in kindergarten and on a referral basis by speech clinicians . Gross-motor and fine-motor skills , academic and socialemotional skills are assessed by the teachers and support staff . Screening activities include : review of group-based data such as cumulative enrollment and health records , report cards and academic skills scores . Identified needs from these screening sources , as well as information obtained from parents and outside agencies , is assessed , noted within the student ’ s record and discussed with parents . South Fayette Township School District has intervention / prevention teams in place to support students as a pre-referral outh Fayette SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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