FORD (cont'd)

teachers not being able to discuss the students record with the student without
parental consents; students under 18 not being able to request that their
transcripts be sent to colleges or employers without parental consent. Once
students are 18 or on the postsecondary level, their parents no longer have

any of these rights.

Annual notice to parents and eligible students of their rights under this law

is required. The required information includes: the types of educational
records and information that the school has on a student; name and position

of the official responsible for the maintenance of each type of record;

persons who have access to these records and the purposes for which they have
access; cost, if any, for reproducing copies of records; and categories of
information that the institution has designated as directory information; the
policies of the institution for review and expunging these records and procedures
for challenging content of educational records. Specifics on how these things
are done are left to the local jurisdiction and are not in the regulations.

In a hearing, parents could not contest that a student has deserved a higher
grade, only that a grade was wrongly recorded.

"lf a child has been labeled mentally or otherwise retarded and put aside in a
special class or school, parents would be able to review the materials in the
record which led to this institutional decision and perhaps seek professional
assistance to see whether these materials contain inaccurate information or
erroneous evaluations about their child."

Where the guardian is an institution, informed consent must come from a duly
appointed guardian. The institution itself cannot make the decision. However,
this law does not prohibit HEW's Office For Civil Rights from obtaining
personally identifiable data in connection with enforcement of civil rights
requirements.

A school may destroy student information. In fact, HEW suggests that school
officials review records and throw out outdated information; however, this
may not be done if the parents have requested access to it.''

SHEILAH THOMPSON

SDT/cm Th.