Student Records

The Illinois School Student Records Act (“ISSRA”), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), and the regulations issued pursuant to these laws require that the Board of Education adopt a student records policy. The Board of Education has adopted a Policy (7:340 Student Records) and Regulation (7:340-R School Student Records) which are available on the district’s website (www.ccsd89.org/board) under “Board Policies”.

The district maintains both a permanent and temporary record for each student.

A school student record is any writing or other recorded information concerning a student and by which a student may be identified individually that is maintained by a school, or at its direction, or by a school employee, regardless of how or where the information is stored, except for certain records kept in a staff member’s sole possession; records maintained by law enforcement officers working in the school; video and other electronic recordings that are created in part for law enforcement, security, or safety reasons or purposes; and electronic recordings made on school buses. The district maintains two types of school records for each student: permanent record and temporary record.

Upon graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal of a student from a school, students’ temporary and permanent records will be kept according to school code. Request of records can be done through the records custodian, the administrative assistant to the superintendent.  The destruction schedule for records is: 

• Temporary: Records are kept for five years after graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal of a student from a school.
• Permanent: Records are kept for 60 years after graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal of a student from a school.

The permanent record includes:

1. Basic identifying information, including the student’s name and address, birth date and place, gender, and the names and addresses of the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s).
2. Evidence required under Missing Children’s Records Act. 325 ILCS 50/5(b) (1).
3. Academic transcripts, including: grades, class rank, graduation date, grade level achieved, scores on college entrance examinations (except that a parent/guardian or eligible student may request, in writing, the removal from the academic transcript of any score received on college entrance examinations), the unique student identifier assigned and used by the Illinois State Board of Education’s Student Information System; designation of the student’s achievement of the State Seal of Biliteracy; and designation of the student’s achievement of the State Commendation Toward Biliteracy.
4. Attendance record.
5. Health record defined by the Illinois State Board of Education as “medical documentation necessary for enrollment and proof of dental examinations, as may be required under Section 27-8.1 of the School Code.”
6. Record of release of permanent record information that includes each of the following:
   1. The nature and substance of the information released
   2. The name and signature of the official records custodian releasing such information
   3. The name and capacity of the requesting person and the purpose for the request
   4. The date of release
   5. A copy of any consent to a release

All information not required to be kept in the student permanent record is kept in the student temporary record and must include:

1. Record of release of temporary record information that includes the same information as listed above for the record of release of permanent records.
2. Scores received on the State assessment tests administered in the elementary grade levels (kindergarten through eighth grade).
3. Completed home-language survey.
4. Information regarding serious disciplinary infractions (those involving drugs, weapons, or bodily harm to another) that resulted in expulsion, suspension, or the imposition of punishment or sanction.
5. Any final finding report received from a Child Protective Service Unit provided to the school under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act; no report other than what is required under Section 8.6 of that Act shall be placed in the student record.
6. Health-related information, defined by the Illinois State Board of Education as “current documentation of a student’s health information, not otherwise governed by the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act or other privacy laws, which includes identifying information, health history, results of mandated testing and screenings, medication dispensation records and logs, e.g., glucose readings, long-term medications administered during school hours, and other health-related information that is relevant to school participation, e.g., nursing services plan, failed screenings, yearly sports physical exams, interim health histories for sports.”
7. Accident report, defined by the Illinois State Board of Education as “documentation of any reportable student accident that results in an injury to a student, occurring on the way to or from school or on school grounds, at a school athletic event or when a student is participating in a school program or school-sponsored activity or on a school bus and that is severe enough to cause the student not to be in attendance for one-half day or more or requires medical treatment other than first aid. The accident report shall include identifying information, nature of injury, days lost, cause of injury, location of accident, medical treatment given to the student at the time of the accident, or whether the school nurse has referred the student for a medical evaluation, regardless of whether the parent, guardian or student (if 18 years or older) or an unaccompanied homeless youth … has followed through on that request.”
8. Any documentation of a student’s transfer, including records indicating the school or school district to which the student transferred.
9. Completed course substitution form for any student who, when under the age of 18, is enrolled in a vocational and technical course as a substitute for a high school or graduation requirement.

The temporary record may include:

1. Family background information
2. Intelligence test scores - group and individual
3. Aptitude test scores
4. Reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence, personality and academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews
5. Elementary-achievement-level test results
6. Participation in extracurricular activities, including any offices held in school-sponsored clubs or organizations
7. Honors and awards received
8. Teacher anecdotal records
9. Other disciplinary information
10. Special education records
11. Records associated with plans developed under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
12. Verified reports or information from non-educational persons, agencies, or organizations of clear relevance to the student’s education

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Illinois School Student Records Act (ISSRA) afford parents/guardians and students over 18 years of age (eligible students) certain rights with respect to the student’s school records. They are:

 The right to inspect and copy the student’s education records within 10 business days of the day the district receives a request for access.

• The degree of access a student has to his/her records depends on the student’s age. Students less than 18 years of age have the right to inspect and copy only their permanent record. Students 18 years of age or older have access and copy rights to both permanent and temporary records. Parents/guardians or students should submit to the building principal (or appropriate school official) a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parents/guardians or student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The district may extend the response timeline to 15 business days in accordance with ISSRA. The district charges 35 cents per page for copying but no one will be denied their right to copies of their records for inability to pay this cost.
• These rights are denied to any person against whom an order of protection has been entered concerning a student.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parents/guardians or eligible student believes are inaccurate, irrelevant, or improper.

• Parents/guardians or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, irrelevant, or improper. They should write the building principal or the official records custodian, clearly identify the record they want changed, and specify the reason.
• If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parents/guardians or eligible student, the district will notify the parents/guardians or eligible student of the decision and advise him or her of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parents/guardians or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to inspect and challenge information in a student record prior to it being transferred to another school district.

• Parents/guardians or eligible students may inspect, copy, and challenge school student records prior to transfer of records to another school district. If the challenge is made at the time that the students’ school records are being forwarded to another school to which the student is transferring, then parents/guardians shall not have the right to challenge references in those records to expulsions or out-of-school suspensions or to academic grades.

The right to permit disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that the FERPA or ISSRA authorizes disclosure without consent. 

• Disclosure without consent is permitted to school officials with legitimate educational or administrative 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 unit personnel); a person serving on the Board of Education; 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 any parents/guardians or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. Individual board members do not have a right to see student records merely by virtue of their office unless they have a current demonstrable educational or administrative interest in the student and seeing the records would be in furtherance of the interest.
• A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
• Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student has enrolled or intends to enroll, as well as to any person as specifically required by state or federal law. Before information is released to these individuals, the parents/guardians will receive prior written notice of the nature and substance of the information, and an opportunity to inspect, copy, and challenge such records.
• When a challenge is made at the time that the student’s records are being forwarded to another school to which the student is transferring, there is no right to challenge: (1) academic grades, or (2) references to expulsions or out-of-school suspensions.
• Disclosure is also permitted without consent to: any person for research, statistical reporting or planning, provided that no student or parents/guardians can be identified; any person named in a court order; appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons; and juvenile authorities when necessary for the discharge of their official duties who request information before adjudication of the student.

The right to a copy of any school student record proposed to be destroyed or deleted.

• Parents/guardians or eligible students may obtain a copy of the students’ school student records prior to the scheduled destruction of records.
• Upon graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal of a student from a school, the district will notify the student’s parents/guardians or eligible student of the destruction schedule for the student’s permanent and temporary record, and of the right to request a copy of the student’s records at any time prior to their destruction. The notification will contain the following information: date of notification; names of the student, parents/guardians, and the official records custodian; and the scheduled destruction date of temporary and permanent records. The district may provide reasonable prior notice to the parent/guardian or student through: (1) notice in the school’s parent/student handbook, (2) publication in a newspaper published in the district or, if no newspaper is published in the district, in a newspaper of general circulation within the district, (3) U.S. mail delivered to the last known address of the parent/guardian or student; or (4) other means provided that the notice of confirmed to have been received.
• The permanent record is maintained for at least 60 years after the student transfers, graduates, or permanently withdraws. The temporary record is maintained for at least five years after the student transfers, graduates, or permanently withdraws. Temporary records that may be of assistance to a student with a disability who graduates or permanently withdraws, may, after five years, be transferred to the parents/guardians or to the student, if the student has succeeded to the rights of the parents/guardians. Student temporary records are reviewed every four years or upon a student’s change in attendance centers - whichever occurs first.

The right to prohibit the release of directory information concerning the parents’/guardians’ child.

• Throughout the school year, the district may release directory information regarding its students, limited to:
  • Name
  • Address
  • Grade level
  • Birth date and place
  • Parent/guardian names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers
  • Photographs, videos, or digital images of a student participating in school or school-sponsored activities, organizations, and athletics that have appeared in school publications, such as yearbooks, newspapers, or sporting or fine arts programs for informational or news-related purposes
  • Academic awards, degrees, and honors
  • Information in relation to school-sponsored activities, organizations, and athletics
  • Major field of study
  • Period of attendance in school
• Any parent/guardian or eligible student may prohibit the release of any or all of the above information by delivering a written objection to the building principal by August 31, or within 10 days of enrolling in the district. No directory information will be released within this time period, unless the parent/guardian or eligible student is specifically informed otherwise.
• No photograph highlighting individual faces is allowed for commercial purposes, including solicitation, advertising, promotion or fundraising without the prior, specific, dated and written consent of the parent or student, as applicable; and no image on a school security video recording shall be designated as directory information.

The right contained in this statement: No person may condition the granting or withholding of any right, privilege or benefits or make as a condition of employment, credit, or insurance the securing by any individual of any information from a student’s temporary record which such individual may obtain through the exercise of any right secured under state law. 

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington DC 20202-4605

Student records for eighth-grade students

As part of eighth-grade students’ transition to high school, CCSD 89 will make a student’s school student records available to the high school that the student will be attending. Parents/guardians have the right to inspect, copy, and challenge their child’s records before they are transferred to the high school, except grades or references to expulsions or out-of-school suspensions may not be challenged.

Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)

Per CCSD 89 Board Policy 7:345 (Use of Educational Technologies; Student Data Privacy and Security)

School districts in Illinois contract with different educational technology vendors for beneficial K-12 purposes, such as providing personalized learning and innovative educational technologies, and increasing efficiency in school operations.

Under Illinois’ Student Online Personal Protection Act (also known as ‘SOPPA’) (105 ILCS 85/), educational technology vendors and other entities that operate Internet websites, online services, online applications, or mobile applications that are designed, marketed, and primarily used for K-12 school purposes are referred to as operators. SOPPA is intended to ensure that student data collected by operators is protected, and it requires those vendors, as well as school districts and the State Board of Education, to take a number of actions to protect online student data.

Depending upon the particular educational technology being used, the district may need to collect different types of student data, which is then shared with educational technology vendors through their online sites, services, and/or applications.

Under SOPPA, educational technology vendors are prohibited from selling or renting a student’s information or from engaging in targeted advertising using a student’s information. Such vendors may only disclose student data for K-12 school purposes and other limited purposes permitted under the law.

In general terms, the types of student data that may be collected and shared include:

• Basic identifying information, including student or parent/guardian name and student or parent/guardian contact information, username/password, student ID number
• Demographic information
• Enrollment information
• Assessment data, grades, and transcripts
• Attendance and class schedule
• Academic/extracurricular activities
• Special indicators (e.g., disability information, English language learner, free/reduced meals, homeless status, etc.)
• Conduct/behavioral data
• Health information
• Food purchases
• Transportation information
• In-application performance data
• Student-generated work
• Online communications
• Application metadata and application-use statistics
• Permanent and temporary school student record information

Operators may collect and use student data only for K-12 purposes, which are purposes that aid in the administration of school activities, such as:

• Instruction in the classroom or at home (including e-learning)
• Administrative activities
• Collaboration between students, school personnel, and/or parents/guardians
• Other activities that are for the use and benefit of the school district

CCSD 89 uses internet filters, blocking software, and other technology protection measures to prevent access to obscenity, pornography, or materials that would be harmful to minors. You can see the district’s Acceptable Use Policy at: www.ccsd89.org/acceptableuse