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9.
Teacher and counselor evaluations;
10.
Reports of behavioral patterns; and
11.
State assessment instruments.
The principal or designee is the custodian of all records for currently enrolled students at the assigned school. The principal
or designee is the custodian of all records for students who have withdrawn or graduated. While Katy ISD has its own police
department, law enforcement records are not considered educational records; therefore, these records are not accessible
to campus or district administrators.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows parents/students the right to inspect and review the records
within 45 days of the day the district receives a written request for access. Records may be reviewed during regular school
hours. The principal or administrator will notify the parent/student of the time and place where records may be inspected.
The records custodian or designee will respond to reasonable requests for explanation and interpretation of the records.
Parents of a minor or of a student who is a dependent for tax purposes, the student (if 18 or older), and school officials with
legitimate educational interests are the only persons who have general access to a student’s records. Parent is defined as
a natural parent, guardian, or an individual authorized to act as a parent in the absence of a parent or guardian. School
officials with legitimate educational interests include any employees, agents, or Trustees of the District, of cooperatives of
which the District is a member, or of facilities with which the District contracts for the placement of students with disabilities,
as well as their attorneys and consultants, who are:
1.
Working with the student;
2.
Considering disciplinary or academic actions, the student’s case, an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student
with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or an individual accommodation plan
for a student with disabilities under Section 504;
3.
Compiling statistical data; or
4.
Investigating or evaluating programs.
Attorneys of the district may also have access to student records if they are working with the district on a particular issue in
which student records are relevant.
Certain other officials from various governmental agencies may have limited access to the records in accordance with
federal and state law. The district forwards a student’s records on request and without prior parental consent to a school in
which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Additionally, the District will release student records pursuant to a validly issued
subpoena or court order; however, the district will make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or student of the order or
subpoena in advance of compliance. The district may release student records without prior parental permission in
accordance with state and federal law. When the student reaches 18 years of age or is attending a post-secondary institute
of education, only the student has the right to consent to release of records.
When appropriate, the district shall disclose to a juvenile service provider confidential information contained in a student’s
educational records at the juvenile service provider’s request. “Educational records” means records in the possession of a
primary or secondary educational institution that contain information relating to a student, including information relating to
the student’s identity, special needs, educational accommodations, assessment or diagnostic test results, attendance
records, disciplinary records, medical records, and psychological diagnoses. “Juvenile service provider” means a
governmental entity that provides juvenile justice or prevention, medical, educational, or other support services to a juvenile,
and includes (a) a state or local juvenile justice agency as defined by Family Code 58.101; (b) health and human services
agencies, as defined by Government Code 531.001, and the Health and Human Services Commission; (c) the Department
of Public Safety; (d) the Texas Education Agency; (e) an independent school district; (f) a juvenile justice alternative
education program; (g) a charter school; (h) a local mental health or mental retardation authority; (i) a court with jurisdiction
over juveniles; (j) a district attorney’s office; (k) a county attorney’s office; and (l) a children’s advocacy center established
under Section 264.402. Confidential information contained in a student’s educational records shall be released to the
juvenile service provider only if the student has been taken into custody under Texas Family Code 52.01; or referred to a
juvenile court for allegedly engaging in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision. The juvenile service
provider shall not disclose the information to any third party, other than another juvenile service provider, and shall use the
confidential information only to verify the identity of a student involved in the juvenile system and provide delinquency
prevention or treatment services to the student. Access to educational records does not include access to the student.
The parent’s or student’s right of access to, and copies of, student records may not extend to all records. Materials that are
not considered educational records, such as teacher’s personal notes on a student that are shared only with a substitute
teacher, records that only contain information about an individual after he/she is no longer a student in the district or records
maintained by school law enforcement officials, may not have to be made available to the parents or student. The district
will consider federal and state law in determining what records will be made available to parents of students enrolled in the
district.
A student over 18 and parents of minor students may inspect the student’s records and request a correction if the parent or
student over 18 believes that the records are inaccurate, mis-leading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or
other rights. If the District refuses a request to amend the records, the requester has the right to a hearing. If the records