FOR PARENTS
Dear Parents:
If your child needs SPED transportation, please print out the EXED Transportation Form, fill out everything up to the "medications" line, and turn it in at the designated school for your child's teacher to continue the process.
Notification of Rights under FERPA for Elementary and Secondary Schools
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records.
These rights are:
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal or other designated school official a written request that identifies the record(s) 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.
(1) The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write to the school principal or other designated school official, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. 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 advise them 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.
(2) The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. 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 school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. 61
(3) the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605
In addition, FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records, including directory information. Directory information means information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, student work (without grades) for display at the discretion of the teacher, and the most recent educational institution attended. Unless the parent or guardian notifies the Gulfport School District (the “District”) otherwise within five days after notification by receipt of the Handbook and Code of Conduct for Students and Parents, consent is implied for the District to release directory information. This implied consent includes the release of student directory information or non-directory information such as student work for use in the following ways:
(1) On the Gulfport School District’s website – The website will use the student’s first name and/or first name and last initial only. Personal information such as home address, telephone number, or names of family members will not be used. Any information that indicates the physical location of a student at a given time other than attendance at a particular school or participation in school activities will not be used. Schoolwork may include, but is not limited to, art, written papers, class projects, and computer projects.
(2) In material printed by the school or the District or printed by publishers outside the Gulfport School District – printed materials may include a child’s full name. Printed materials may include, but is not limited to, school directories, yearbooks, programs, brochures, newspaper articles, and printed advertisements.
(3) In videos produced and broadcast by the District or produced and broadcast by news organizations and others who receive approval from the Gulfport School District – Student Directory Information Denial Form is available from each school’s office or from the Parent’s Page or Publications Page of the Gulfport School District’s website.
Americans with Disabilities
The Gulfport School District will not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities to the extent provided by law.
The Section 504/Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator will handle inquiries regarding the Gulfport School District’s nondiscrimination policies, the filing of grievances, and requests for copies of grievance procedures covering discrimination on the basis of disability.
STUDENT RIGHTS
It is the policy of the Gulfport School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicap in all programs, services, and activities offered as required by the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Title IX Coordinators are Mr. Matt Walters and Mr. Donny Fuller.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
No person shall on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion, disability, handicap, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, occupational training, or any other program or activity operated by the Gulfport School District. Any inquiries regarding Title IX and Section 504 and its application may be directed to the Federal Programs Coordinator or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
