Book: J
Section: Students
Title: Student Education Records & Information
Code: JRA
Status: Active
Adopted: April 28, 2004
Last Revised: November 18, 2014
STUDENT EDUCATION RECORDS AND INFORMATION
Portland Public Schools shall comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) and all other federal and state laws and regulations concerning confidentiality and maintenance of student records and student information.
- Directory Information
Portland Public School designates the following student information as directory information: name, participation and grade level of students in officially recognized activities and sports, height and weight of student athletes, dates of attendance in the school unit, and honors and awards received, and photographs and videos relating to student participation in school activities open to the public (except photographs and videos on the Internet) Portland Public Schools may disclose directory information if it has provided notice to parents (and eligible students over 18) and has not received timely written notice refusing permission to designate such information as directory information.
- Military Recruiters/Higher Education Access to Information
Under federal law, military recruiters and institutions of higher education are entitled to receive the names, addresses and telephone numbers of secondary students and Portland Public Schools must comply with any such request, provided that parents have been notified of their right to request that this information not be released without their prior written consent.
- Information on the Internet
Under Maine law, Portland Public Schools shall not publish on the Internet any information that identifies a student, including but not limited to the student’s full name, photograph, personal biography, e-mail address, home address, date of birth, social security number and parents’ names, without written parental consent.
- Transfer of Student Records
As required by Maine law, Portland Public Schools sends student education records to a school unit to which a student applies for transfer, including disciplinary records, attendance records, special education records and health records (except for confidential health records for which consent or dissemination has not been obtained).
- Designation of Law Enforcement Unit
School units may disclose student education records without parental consent to personnel of its law enforcement unit, provided that they have been designated as school officials with legitimate educational interests for the purpose of compliance with FERPA.
The Board hereby designates the Portland Police Department as Portland Public School’s law enforcement unit for the purpose of disclosure of student education records under FERPA.
- Health or Safety Emergency Emergencies
As permitted by FERPA, the school unit may disclose personally identifiable information from a student’s educational record to appropriate parties, including parents of an eligible student, if taking into account the totality of the circumstances, it determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or other individuals and that knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. In the event of disclosure, the school unit will record the articulable and significant threat that formed the basis for the disclosure and the parties to whom the school unit has disclosed and maintain such record with the student’s educational record.
- Administrative Procedures and Notices
The Superintendent is responsible for developing and implementing any administrative procedures and parent notices necessary to comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning student education records and information. Notices shall be distributed annually to parents and eligible students concerning their rights under these laws and regulations. A copy of this policy shall be posted in each school.
Legal
Maine Department of Education Rules, Chapters 101 and 125
20-A M.R.S.A. §§ 6001, 6001-B
20 U.S.C. § 7908
20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. Part 99, as amended
Cross References
JRA-E - Annual Notice of Student Education Records & Info
JRA-R - Student Education Records and Information Administrative Proc
ILD - Student Surveys and Marketing
KLMA - Military Recruitment and Other Post-Secondary Opportunity Info Access
071c101.docx (628 KB)071c125 (1).doc (130 KB)JRA - Student Education Records & Information_with revised legal references_December 2021.pdf (61 KB)
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