At the Morgan Associates we have been discussing using time this summer to review your child’s records and organize his/her special education file. Have you started yet?
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal statute designed to ensure that parents have access to their children's educational records. It also works to protect the privacy rights of parents and children by limiting access to these records without parental consent, and addresses the amendment and destruction of records as well.
It’s important that you exercise your rights under this act so you have all of your child’s information at your fingertips!
Here are 10 tips for reviewing your child’s record:
1. Send a letter to all pre-schools and schools your child has attended, requesting to inspect and review your child’s records. Send a second letter to the government agency that provides special education, i.e., Special Ed Cooperatives, Joint Services and Supply.
2. Specify all files you are requesting, whether or not you believe these records exist.
3. Give the school/agency several different dates and times you can be available to review the record.
4. If you do not receive a response within a week, send a follow-up letter, attaching a copy of the original.
5. When you go in to review your child’s records, bring several pads of sticky notes with you. Tag every paper or note that you have never seen before or do not already have a copy of.
6. Make a list of missing items. In particular, make sure the following items are included:
• Any notes you have written to the school
• The testing protocols (actual testing instruments)
• The daily progress notes from your child’s adaptive physical education, physical, occupational, or speech therapy
7. When you are finished, count the sticky notes and make a note of the number.
8. Return the files with a note that requests copies of all tagged items. Please note: You may be charged a fee for the copies. Absent state law or local policy, you are not automatically entitled to free copies of your child’s records, except under specific circumstances.
9. When you return to pick up the copies, count them. If the number varies from what you were expecting, leave a note stating that you did not receive all requested copies.
10. Sign and date each piece of correspondence you give to the keeper of the records. Always keep a copy for your own records.
