JR, Student Privacy and Education Records

The School Board acknowledges and affirms that parents, guardians, and students 18 years of age or older (eligible students) have certain rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Louisiana law with respect to the privacy, inspection, review, and disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records.

To protect the privacy of its students, the School Board will utilize and assign to each student in its jurisdiction a unique student identification number in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3914(C)(3). The student identification numbers shall not include or be based on social security numbers.

To other School Officials whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests in accordance with the annual notification of FERPA rights. For contractors, the student PII may be transferred to computers operated and maintained by the contractor and the contractor shall not allow access to or release student PII to any person or entity except as specified in the contract.
Upon request, to officials of another school, school system, or institution of postsecondary education where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer. In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), if a student with a disability is enrolled, or is going to enroll in a private school that is not located in the geographic jurisdiction of the School Board of the parent's residence, parental consent must be obtained before any personally identifiable information about the student is released between the School Board and the private school.
To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or the Louisiana Department of Education. Disclosures may be made in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with federal and State legal requirements that relate to those programs. Student information provided to School Board members, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE), or the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) shall be identifiable only by a student's identification number and aggregate data and shall be disclosed solely for the purpose of satisfying state and federal reporting requirements. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf, or as expressly authorized by statute, if applicable requirements are met.
To State and local officials or authorities to whom information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed as authorized by a State statute that concerns the juvenile justice system and the system’s ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records were released.
To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction, if applicable requirements are met. In no case shall a contractor be permitted to use student information to conduct predictive modeling for the purpose of limiting the educational opportunities of students.
To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
To parents of an eligible student, if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, subject to the requirements of federal and State law.
To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to the requirements of federal and State law.
To an agency caseworker or other representative of a State or local child welfare agency or tribal organization who is authorized to access a student’s case plan when such agency or organization is legally responsible, in accordance with State or tribal law, for the care and protection of the student in foster care placement.
To the Secretary of Agriculture or authorized representatives of the Food and Nutrition Service for purposes of conducting program monitoring, evaluations, and performance measurements of programs authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, under certain conditions.
Information provided in accordance with a contract between the School Board and a public or private entity which has been contracted to perform student or education services, but only to the extent provided for in such a contract. Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3913, information concerning the release of PII pursuant to any contract shall be available at the School Board’s central office.
Information required to be reported pursuant to Article 609 of the Louisiana Children’s Code.
To a Louisiana postsecondary education institution for the purpose of processing applications for admission or to the Office of Student Financial Assistance in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary for purposes of determining eligibility for the aid, determining the amount of the aid, determining the conditions of the aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
To the Louisiana Board of Regents to be used only by the Board of Regents staff for the purposes of providing reports to each public school governing authority on the postsecondary remediation needs, retention rates, and graduation rates for each high school under its jurisdiction and to evaluate comparative postsecondary performance outcomes based upon student transcript data in order to develop policies designed to improve student academic achievement.

The form shall contain a statement notifying the student’s parent or legal guardian exactly what items of student information will be collected and that disclosure of the student information collected will be restricted to Louisiana post-secondary education institutions and the Office of Student Financial Assistance to be used solely for the purpose of processing applications for admission and for state and federal financial assistance and to the Board of Regents to be used solely for the purposes of providing reports to the school governing authority and developing policies designed to improve student academic achievement. The form shall include notification that the failure to provide written consent for the collection and disclosure of the student's information may result in delays or may prevent successful application for admission to a postsecondary educational institution and for state and federal student financial aid. The form shall also notify the student’s parent or legal guardian of his/her right to withdraw consent previously provided.

Unless directed in writing otherwise by a student’s parent, legal guardian or a student who has reached the age of majority, the School Board approves a person employed in a school or person authorized by the Superintendent to provide access to certain student personally identifiable information to further a legitimate educational purpose, in accordance with FERPA and La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:3914 as follows:

In addition, two federal laws require School Boards receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the School Board that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent. [Note: These laws are Section 9528 of the ESEA (20 USC 7908) and 10 USC 503(c).]. In accordance with the federal statutory provisions, the School Board shall honor the requests of military recruiters for names, addresses and phone numbers of high school students, unless a parent has submitted a written request that such information not be released without prior written consent of the parent. Opt-out procedures will be provided to high school students by the Student Services Department at the beginning of each school year.

Except as provided below, no person or public or private entity shall access a public school computer system on which student information is stored. No official or employee of a public school system shall authorize access to such a computer system to any person or public or private entity except as authorized in this policy.

The following persons may access a public school computer system on which student information for students at a particular school is stored:

The following persons may access a computer system of a city, parish, or other local public school system on which student information for students from throughout the system is stored.

Any person who is authorized to access a public school computer system, except a parent or legal guardian, shall maintain the confidentiality of any student information to which he/she has access.

The School Board shall notify and permit parents/guardians/eligible students the opportunity to opt out of participation in student surveys, analyses, or evaluations that concern one or more of the following eight areas ("protected information surveys"): political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parent; mental or psychological problems of the student or family; sex behavior or attitudes; illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior; critical appraisals of others with whom students have close family relationships; legally recognized privileged relationships (such as lawyers, doctors, or ministers); religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs; or income (other than required by law to determine program eligibility. This requirement applies to the collection, disclosure, or use of student information for marketing purposes. Protected information survey opt-out forms shall be published in the student handbook and on the School Board's website.

The School Board recognizes its responsibility for establishing procedures governing the privacy of student records, consistent with federal and state laws and regulations. The School Board directs the Superintendent, or designee, to develop and maintain procedures for ensuring and exercising rights provided under this policy. Copies of implementing procedures shall be available at the School Board's central office and in each school office. Any access or disclosure and release of personally identifiable student information by the School Board and its assigns must be in accordance with federal and state law and regulations and authorized by the Superintendent.

This policy shall not apply to the completion or correction of required submissions to the Louisiana Department of Education or response(s) to financial audits commenced prior to the 2015-2016 school year.

Written parental/eligible student consent shall be obtained prior to the release of any PII, unless the release of such PII is expressly authorized without written consent by this policy or by law.