Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notice

As required by federal law, Encompass Community School is committed to protecting the privacy of student education records. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents and eligible students (those 18 years or older) specific rights regarding these records. 

Storage:

All student records are stored in a locked file cabinet in a locked administrator's office. If a staff member needs to access a student’s cumulative records, they must sign in and out the key from an administrator of the main office. 

Your Rights Under FERPA

1. The Right to Inspect and Review Education Records
 Parents or eligible students may request to review a student’s education records.

  • To do so, submit a written request to the school principal identifying the records you'd like to see.

  • The school will provide access to the records within 45 calendar days of receiving the request and will notify you of the time and place to view them.

2. The Right to Request an Amendment
 If you believe a record is inaccurate or misleading, you may request a correction.

  • Submit a written request to the Head of School (mainoffice@ecstn.org) clearly identifying the part of the record to be changed and explaining why it is incorrect.

  • If the school denies the request, you have the right to a formal hearing. Details about the hearing process will be provided at that time.

3. The Right to Consent to Disclosures
 In most cases, the school must have written permission to release personally identifiable information from a student's records. However, FERPA allows certain disclosures without consent, including to:

  • School officials with a legitimate educational interest (e.g., administrators, teachers, support staff, health staff, or contracted professionals such as therapists, attorneys, or auditors)

  • Partner organizations that support Encompass with student academic, behavioral, or social-emotional needs

  • Officials of another school where a student seeks or intends to enroll

  • State and federal education authorities, in accordance with the law

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if they need to access a student’s record to fulfill their professional responsibilities.

4. The Right to File a Complaint
 If you believe Encompass has violated your rights under FERPA, you can file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
 U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

Directory Information

FERPA allows schools to identify certain basic student information as "directory information," which may be shared publicly unless families opt out in writing. At Encompass, we take privacy seriously and limit directory information to the following:

  • Student name

  • Grade level

  • Participation in school-sponsored activities and events

  • Honors or awards receive

  • School photographs used in yearbooks or internal school media

If you do not want Encompass to release any directory information about your student without your written consent, you must notify us in writing by the first day of school. Email your request to: mainoffice@ecstn.org. 

If you have any questions about FERPA or how Encompass protects student records, please contact the school office.