Steger School District 194

STUDENT RECORDS: A DEFINITION

A student record is any record that contains personally identifiable information or other information that would link the document to an individual student if it is maintained by the District. However, the following are not considered “school student records”: 1) Writings or other recorded information maintained by an employee of a school or other person at the direction of the school for his/her exclusive use, provided that no such records or recorded information may be released or disclosed to any person except a person designated by the school as a substitute unless they are first incorporated in a school student records; 2) information maintained by law enforcement professionals working in the school; 3) video or electronic recordings created and maintained by law enforcement professionals working in the school or for security or safety reasons or purposes, provided the information was created at least in part for security or safety reasons or purposes; and 4) electronic recordings made on school buses. Student records are broken into two parts: 1) the permanent record; and 2) the temporary record. These two parts of a student’s record contain different types of information that may be useful to the student for the rest of the student’s life. Under both state and federal law, a school is prohibited from adding any information to a student record unless it has a clear relevance to the education of the student.

CONTENTS OF STUDENT PERMANENT RECORDS

Permanent student educational records are kept on file a minimum of sixty years after the student has graduated, withdrawn, or transferred from the school district. These records include the following:

• basic identifying information: student and parent names, addresses, student birth date;
• academic transcripts: grades, grade level, date of graduation, class rank, grade level achieved, scores on entrance exams;
• attendance records;
• health records; and
• record of the release of permanent student record information.

CONTENTS OF STUDENT TEMPORARY RECORDS

Temporary student educational records contain that information which is most important to have during the student’s school years. If you or your child wishes to retain the information in the temporary record, please obtain a copy prior to five years after graduation or permanent withdrawal from the school district. After five years, all temporary records will be destroyed. Temporary records will indicate authorship and date and may include the following: 

• family background information;
• intelligence and aptitude scores;
• psychological and personality test results;
• teacher evaluations and anecdotal records;
• special education records;
• 504 plans;
• home language surveys;
• health related information;
• biometric information;
• accident reports;
• achievement test results and scores from State Assessment Tests;
• extracurricular activities, honors and awards;
• 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;
• other disciplinary records;
• information provided under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
• information from non-educational persons, agencies and organizations;
• verified information of clear relevance to the student’s education; and record of release of temporary student record information.