Florida and federal law provide parents and students over 18 (‘eligible students’) with certain rights related to the student’s education records. They include: the right to inspect and review those records; the right to seek changes to records that the parent or eligible students believe are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights; the right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information included in the records, except to the extent that federal law authorizes disclosure without consent; and the right to file a written complaint about an alleged violation with the Student Privacy Policy Office of the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, see School Board Policy 8330--Student Records, which is available at www.sbac.edu, or contact the Supervisor of Counseling at (352) 955-7671, ext. 1610.

Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the record they want to inspect or the part of the record they want to change and the specific reason it should be changed. Schools will respond to requests to inspect records within 30 days and provide information on when and where the records can be reviewed. If a request to change a record is not approved, the parent or eligible student will be notified of the decision and their right to request a hearing.

The Board may disclose information from a student’s records without prior written consent from the parent or eligible student.  The School discloses education records without consent upon the request of an official of another 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.

The school may disclose designated ‘directory information’ without written consent. The following are designated as directory information:  student’s name; student’s address; student’s telephone number, if listed; major field of study; date and place of birth; school photographs; dates of attendance; participation in officially recognized sports and activities; degrees and awards received; weight/height of members of athletic teams; and most recent previous educational agency or  institution attended.  Under federal law, military recruiters, upon request, will be provided with student names, addresses and telephone listings. You must notify the district in writing by September 9, 2023, or within 30 calendar days of school enrollment, whichever is later, if you do not want directory information disclosed without prior written consent.

The School Board will notify you to obtain consent or allow you to opt your child out of participating in certain school activities, including a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following areas (“protected information surveys”): political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family; sex behavior or 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.  This requirement also applies to the collection, disclosure or use of student information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams and screenings.

 For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, the Board will provide parents, prior to administration of the surveys and activities, notification and the opportunity to review the surveys and/or opt out.  (The notice and consent/opt-out transfers from parents to students 18 years old or emancipated.)