Notifications of Rights Under the PPRA and FERPA

Notifications of Rights under the Protection of Pupils’ Rights Amendment and the Family Educational Rights Act

Protection of Pupils Rights Amendment (PPRA) affords parents and/or “eligible students” certain rights regarding our conduct of surveys, collection and use of information, and certain physical exams. These include the right to:

Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the US Department of Education:

Political affiliations/beliefs of the students or student’s parents;
Mental/psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
Sex behaviors/attitudes; illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Received notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of:

Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;

Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others

Inspect, upon request and before administration or use:

Protected information surveys of students;
Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing or other distribution purposes; and,
Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

San Jose Charter Academy has developed and adopted policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing or other distribution purposes. West Covina Unified School District will directly notify parents and eligible students of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and/or “eligible students” certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These rights are:

To inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect.
To request the amendment of the student’s education records that they believe are inaccurate. They should write the school principal clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the school decides not to amend, they must notify the parent and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the amendment. Additional information will be provided.
To consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
To file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by San Jose Charter Academy to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Parents/eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office

US Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

For additional information, go to www.studentprivacymatters.org/ferpa_ppra_coppa/