Lake Forest School District 67

Educational Records: Parental and Student Rights
The Lake Forest Public Elementary Schools maintain individual Permanent and Temporary records on each student, as follows:

A Permanent Record, prepared for each student, includes identifying information, attendance and academic information, a Permanent Health Record and accident reports. The permanent record is filed in the office of the school principal while the student is in attendance or until such time as the student completes eighth grade (or for previously transferred students when his class completes eighth grade) when that information is transferred to Lake Forest High School under terms of the intergovernmental agreement and remains in the custody of Lake Forest High School for a period of sixty (60) years.

The Temporary Record includes a Cumulative Folder which contains basic student information; i.e., birth date and place, family background, emergency health information, grades and academic record, standardized test scores, parent-teacher summary reports, awards and activities, and special education data, and is filed in the office of the principal of the school where the student attends.

A temporary Special Educational Record is also kept for all children referred for a case study evaluation and/or who receive special education services. This consists of referral information, observation and screening data, psychological evaluations, staffing and progress reports, reports from physicians and other agencies having direct contact with the student and other verified information deemed relevant to the education of the student. This record is housed in the Department of Student Services at the District 67 Administrative Center and may be reviewed by parent(s) at any time.

Upon transfer or permanent withdrawal from the district, temporary records are forwarded to the receiving school district upon written request.

The Permanent Health Record, all Temporary Student Records and all Special Education Records of the children in the 8th grade graduating class, including those who have transferred or otherwise withdrawn within the time period of five years prior to the 8th grade graduation of the student's respective class and whose records have not been formally transferred to another district, may be delivered to Lake Forest High School District 115 on or following June 30th of the year of the 8th grade class graduation. Parents have the Right to review, challenge and make copies of all student records prior to graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal. Parents of students graduating from 8th grade should accomplish this prior to January of the year of the 8th grade graduation as all records are sent to Lake Forest High School District 115 per intergovernmental agreement. |

All temporary records not requested by other receiving districts and/or left in the custody of District 67, prior to or following June 30, 1977, will be destroyed five (5) years following the student's transfer or permanent withdrawal from the district, unless otherwise notified in writing by the parents or legal guardians of these students.

Parents have the following rights pertaining to student records kept by the school:

The right to inspect and copy, at the parents' expense, any permanent and temporary records. The cost of each copy shall be determined yearly. No person shall be denied copies due to an inability to bear the cost. Requests for access and review shall be made to the school principal and shall be granted within ten (10) school (work) days after the request has been received.
Where parents of the child are divorced, copies of school permanent and temporary records shall be provided to both parents by mail when they are requested in writing by either parent unless a court order to the contrary is in effect. The specific materials to be furnished are as follows:
- Reports or records, which reflect the pupil's academic progress
- Reports of the pupil's emotional and physical health
- Notices of school-initiated parent-teacher conferences
- Notices of major school-sponsored events, such as open houses, which involve pupil-parent interaction
- Copies of the school calendar regarding the child which are furnished by the school district to one parent be furnished by mail to the other parent
Parents have the right to challenge the contents of student records. Following the review, the parents have the further right to challenge and correct or delete inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data contained therein at the discretion of the school principal.
The parents have the right to request a hearing before a hearing officer appointed by the Superintendent of Schools, should an issue concerning the challenge be unresolved. The hearing is requested by completing a form furnished by the school and shall be set within fifteen (15) school days of the receipt of the form by the Superintendent of Schools, or his designee.
Parents may request a list of free or low cost legal services through the Department of Student Services.
If the hearing does not resolve the issue, the parents have a further right to request a hearing before the Superintendent of the Educational Services Region.
Parents have the right to control access and release of school student records and the right to request a copy of information released.
The school should grant access to, or release specific information from, school student records without parental consent or notification only to:
- An employee or official of the school or school district or the State Board of Education, provided such employee or state official has a current demonstrable education interest in the student and the records are in furtherance of such interest.
- To any person for the purpose of research, statistical reporting, or planning, providing that no student or parent can be identified from the information released and the person to whom the information is released signs an affidavit agreeing to comply with all applicable statutes and rules pertaining to school student records.
- Pursuant to a court order, provided that the procedures outlined in Ill. Rev. Statutes, 1985, CH. 122, Article 50-6(a), (5) are observed.
The Lake Forest High School shall maintain original student permanent and health records for sixty (60) years. Neither Lake Forest High School nor Lake Forest School District 67 shall maintain any student temporary record during a period of its usefulness to the student and school, and in no case longer than five (5) years following transfer or withdrawal from either school district.
"Directory Information" may be released to the general public unless a parent specifically requests, in writing, that any or all such information not be released on his/her child. "Directory Information" shall consist of:
- Identifying information: name, address, gender, grade level, birth date and place, and parents' names and addresses.
- Academic award and honors, and school attendance.
- Information in relation to school-sponsored activities, organizations, and athletics.
The Temporary Record shall include a copy of Record of Access (IST-3) or Notification of Subpoena (IST-4) of Definition of Term Parent: Parent(s) is defined as 1) Natural parent(s); 2) Step parent(s); 3) Legal guardian(s); 4) the State of Illinois for children who are wards of the State (provisions of the Juvenile Court Act; 5) Foster parent(s); and 6) Surrogate parent(s) for those children who have no parent identified or who have parents that cannot be located.

The need for a surrogate parent(s) will be determined by the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services who will follow State guidelines (Illinois 23) for determining the need for and assigning surrogate parent(s).