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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are:

1.     The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Coweta Charter Academy (“School”) receives a request for access.

Parents or eligible students who wish to inspect their child’s or their education records should submit to the Superintendent or School Director a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The school will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2.     The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the school to amend the education records should submit a written request to the Superintendent or School Director, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specify why it should be changed. If the School decides not to amend the record as requested, we will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and 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.

3.     The right to provide written consent before the school discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from 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. For the purposes of this policy, a school official includes persons employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member and members of the Coweta Charter Academy Governing Board. A school official also may include a volunteer, contractor, or consultant who, while not directly employed by the school, performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist; a parent or student volunteering to serve on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer 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 responsibilities.

Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another school or school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer.

4.     The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Coweta Charter Academy to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Student Privacy Policy Office

U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202

Notice of Directory Information

CCA may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent unless you have advised CCA in accordance with CCA procedures.

The primary purpose of directory information is to allow CCA to include information from your child’s education records in certain school publications.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production.
  • The annual yearbook.
  • Honor roll or other recognition lists.
  • Graduation programs.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion 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, as amended (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent.

If you do not want CCA to disclose any or all the types of information designated below as directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the CCA in writing by September 1, 2022. CCA has designated the following information as directory information:

  • Student's name
  • Grade level
  • Awards, Recognitions, and/or participation in officially recognized school activities

Unless a court order stating otherwise has been provided by a parent to the school, CCA will grant both parents equal access to their child’s educational records.

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