The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Rochester Community Schools, with certain exceptions, obtain a parent or guardian's written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from their child's educational records. Rochester Community Schools may disclose appropriately designated directory information without written consent, unless the parent or guardian has advised the district otherwise in accordance with district procedures. This process enables the district to include information from a child's records in certain school publications. Some examples of the use of directory information are school district publications such as the Community Update, articles about student accomplishments, yearbook photos, and athletic features.
Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasions of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent's prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with three directory information categories that include names, addresses and telephone listings, unless a parent or guardian has advised the LEA that they do not want their student's information disclosed without their prior written consent.
If a parent or guardian does not want Rochester Community Schools to disclose directory information from a child's educational records, the parent or guardian must notify the district in writing.
Rochester Community Schools has designated the following information as directory information:
- Student's name
- Name(s) of the student's parent(s)/guardian
- Student's address
- Student's telephone number
- Student's date of birth
- Student's grade
- Student's participation in recognized activities and sports
- Awards received by student
- Weight and height of member of student teams
- Student's photograph
- Previous school district(s) attended by the student prior to enrollment in Rochester Community Schools
Videotape/Audiotape/Photograph
Student photographs include videotaping of events such as concerts, plays or other performances. Videos may be broadcast on the district cable television access stations: Channel 19 for Comcast; Channel 15 for Wide Open West (WOW).