Shamokin Area School District

As part of the Pennsylvania Accountability System in compliance with Every Student Succeeds Act, all schooldistricts within the commonwealth are required to distribute the following ESSA parent notices:

• Parents’ right to inspect instructional materials, excluding tests
• Rights under Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
• Parents’ right to review assessment instruments and data (except personally identifiable information)
• Parents’ right to request the qualifications of student’s classroom teachers
• Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP)
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

PARENTS’ RIGHT TO INSPECT INSTRUCTION MATERIALS

The Shamokin Area School District is required by Every Student Succeeds Act to inform you of your right to inspect instructional materials used by your child (children) in their classes.  The conditions by which you can inspect these materials are listed below.  This letter will represent your official notification of this right of inspection.

Conditions of inspection of instructional materials:

1. The materials to be inspected are those presently being used in a class of which your child (children) is presently enrolled.
2. Materials such as textbooks, workbooks, worksheets, slides, video, or power point presentations can be available for your inspection.
3. Parents or Guardians wishing to inspect the above available materials must make a written request to the building principal.  The written request must identify the specific materials that the parent wishes to inspect.  Within ten (10) school days after the receipt of the request the principal will contact the parent or guardian with a date, time and place to inspect the requested materials.
4. The principal or his/her designee (and teacher if requested by the principal) will be present at the time of inspection to answer any questions.  No materials will be allowed to be removed from the inspection site.

PARENTS’ RIGHT TO REQUEST QUALIFICATIONS OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS

As a parent of a student at Shamokin Area School district, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers who instruct your child and the paraprofessional who assist them. Every Student Succeeds Act gives you the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers and their paraprofessional assistants:

• Whether the teacher meets the state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grades and subjects he or she teaches.
• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status because of special circumstances.
• The teacher’s college major, whether the teacher has any advanced degrees, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
• Whether paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if so, their qualifications.

PARENTS’ RIGHT TO REVIEW ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS AND DATA

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015.  A provision of this new act requires all school districts to allow the general public to review assessment instruments and data related to assessment.  Any information that is personally identifiable to individual students cannot be released to the general public except for the parents or guardians.

The following are a few examples of assessment instruments:

• Teacher developed tests and quizzes
• Teacher developed projects and rubrics
• State exams (PSSA)

The guidelines for review of these assessment instruments are as follows:

• Person wishing to review these items must submit their request in writing to the building principal.  Within ten (10) school days after the receipt of the request the principal will contact the parent or guardian with a date, time and place to inspect the requested assessment(s).
• The principal or his/her designee (and teacher if requested by the principal) will be present at the time of inspection.  No materials will be allowed to be removed or photocopied from the inspection site.
• Parents or Guardians may view a sample of testing materials after the assessments have been given to students.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM

CHIP has expanded to cover all uninsured kids and teens in Pennsylvania.  Now, no family makes too much money to qualify for CHIP.  To get your kids covered, visit www.CHIPcoversPAkids.comChildren's Health Insurance Program or call 1-800-986-KIDS to enroll today!

SHAMOKIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Annual Notice of Student Education Record Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records.  The law applies to all schools that receive federal funds.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their child’s education records.  When a student reaches the age of 18 or attends a post-secondary school or college, the parent’s rights transfer to the student and the student is then an “eligible student” under the law.

Under FERPA, parents and eligible students have the following rights:

1. To inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school within 45 days of the school’s receipt of a written request.  The request should identify the record(s) being inspected.  The school is not required to provide copies of records and may charge a fee if copies are requested.  The Principal may be contacted to seek access to your child’s record.
2. To request that a school correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading.  The request must be in writing and clearly specify: (a) the part of the record requesting to be changed, and (b) why it is inaccurate or misleading.  If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to a hearing.  After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement in the record about the contested information.  The school is not required to consider requests for grade or disciplinary decisions, opinions of school officials in the education record, or the child’s special education determination.  The Principal may be contacted to request an amendment to your child’s record.
3. To control the disclosure of their child’s personally identifiable information from their education record.  Parents may request that the school, with certain exceptions, obtain their written consent prior to the disclosure of student information.  An exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school staff with legitimate educational interests, such as a person employed by the district; a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a grievance or disciplinary committee or assisting another school official; and/or an official of another school district in which a student seeks to enroll.  A school official has a legitimate education interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill a professional responsibility.
4. To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school district to comply with the requirements of FERPA at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Ave., SW

Washington, DC  20202-4605

SHAMOKIN AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Family educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Annual Notice for Disclosure of School Directory Information

Elementary/Intermediate School

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that requires the school district, with certain exceptions, to obtain written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s educational records.  Sometimes our school or district may disclose some student information without written consent when the information is designated “directory information” unless you have advised the school or district to the contrary in accordance with district procedures.

The primary purpose of directory information is to allow us to include some types of information in certain school publications and is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released.  Examples of school publications are:

• A playbill or program showing your child’s role in a school production
• Honor roll or other recognition lists published at schools or in newspapers
• School/student directory
• School or district website

Directory information can also be disclosed to outside organizations without parent’s prior written consent.  Outside organizations include, but are not limited to:

• Other schools the student is seeking to attend (student records, etc.)
• State or federal authorities auditing, evaluation programs, or enforcing state or federal laws
• A court by order of a subpoena

Our school district has designated the following as directory information:

If you do not want our school or district to disclose directory information about your child, you must complete the attached form “Parent Disclosure Consent of School Directory Information” in the back of this handbook and return it to the building office immediately to let us know which type of directory information you wish to deny release of information to or if you approve of any release of information.

We ask that you complete one form for each child and return the form(s) to your child’s homeroom teacher.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school principal.