Student Records

The District may not disclose student records to any outside party without the parent’s written, signed consent. However, as provided by law, the District will release information contained in student records without parental notice or consent to the following individuals or in the following circumstances: 

1. to a District or State Board of Education employee or official with a current demonstrable educational or administrative interest in the student, in furtherance of such interest;
2. to any person for the purpose of research, statistical reporting, or planning, provided that no student or parent can be identified from the released information and the person receiving the information signs an affidavit agreeing to comply with all applicable rules and statutes pertaining to school student records;
3. pursuant to a court order where a parent of a student is named in the court order;
4. to juvenile authorities when necessary for the discharge of their official duties who request information prior to adjudication of the student and who certify in writing that the information will not be disclosed to any other party except as provided under law or order of court;
5. in connection with an emergency, to appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons (the parent must be notified no later than the next school day after the date the information is released, of the date of the release, the person, agency or organization to whom the release was made, and the purpose of the release);
6. to a governmental agency, or social service agency contracted by a governmental agency, in furtherance of an investigation of a student’s school attendance pursuant to the compulsory student attendance laws of Illinois, provided that the records are released to the agency’s employees or agents who are designated by the agency to be working on behalf of the District;
7. as allowed under the Serious Habitual Offender’s Compensation Action Program;
8. to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for purposes of school breakfast and lunch programs;
9. to the State Board or another State government agency or between or among State government agencies in order to evaluate or audit federal and state programs or perform research and planning;
10. if the information is directory information, as explained below, and the parent has not informed the District that such information is not to be released; or
11. to other persons as required by Illinois or federal law.

The District also may release student records without parental consent to the following individuals or in the following circumstances, as long as, to the extent required by law, parents are first notified of their right to inspect, copy, or challenge the contents of the records to be released, unless otherwise allowed by law:

1. to the records custodian of a school to which the student has transferred or intends to transfer;
2. pursuant to a court order where a parent of a student is not named in the court order;
3. pursuant to a reciprocal reporting agreement; or
4. to any person as required by Illinois or federal law.

Any other release of information requires the prior written consent of the parent. The parent has the right to request a copy of any released records.

No person who is prohibited by an order of protection from inspecting or obtaining school records of a student pursuant to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 or the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 shall have any right of access to, or inspection of, the school records of that student. The District shall maintain the copy of any order of protection in the record of the child or children enrolled in the District whose parent is the petitioner of an order of protection. In addition, the District prohibits the disclosure by school employees to any person against whom the District has received a certified copy of an order of protection the location or address of the petitioner for the order of protection or the identity of the schools in the District in which the petitioner’s child or children are enrolled.

Request for Inclusion of College Entrance Examination Score on Academic Transcript

A parent has the right to request inclusion on his/her child’s academic transcript of one or more scores received on college entrance examinations by submitting a request in writing to the Registrar at the school of attendance. In the written request, the parent must state the name of each college entrance examination that is the subject of the request and the dates of the score(s) that are to be included in the academic transcript.

Challenging a Record

A parent has the right to challenge the accuracy, relevance, or propriety of any entry in the student’s school record, except for academic grades and the name and contact information of the District’s Official Records Custodian. In addition, if the challenge is made at the time the student’s school records are being forwarded to another school to which the student is transferring, a parent shall not have the right to challenge references in those records to expulsions or out-of-school suspensions or to academic grades. Board Policy 7:340 Student Records, and its accompanying Administrative Procedures, provide for hearing and appeal procedures and an opportunity to include a written statement in the student’s school record of reasonable length setting forth the parent’s position on any disputed information contained in that record. To challenge a record or entry, the parent must contact the campus Associate Principal NC 708-579-6300/SC 708-579-6500.

Parents may obtain a copy of the Board Policy, and it’s accompanying Administrative Procedures, from the campus Associate Principal or District Office. The Board Policy also is available in the District’s online policy manual at https://www.boardpolicyonline.com/?b=lyons_204

Destruction of Records

The District will notify parents of the destruction schedule for a student’s records at the time of graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal from the District. Permanent records are kept for 60 years after the student leaves the District. Temporary records are kept for the period of their usefulness to the school, but in no case less than 5 years after the student leaves the District. A parent has the right to copy any student record, or information contained in it, proposed to be destroyed or deleted.

Student temporary records are reviewed by the District every 4 years or when a student changes attendance centers.

Upon graduation or permanent withdrawal of a student with a disability, special education records, and other information contained in the student’s temporary record that may be of continued assistance to the student may, after 5 years, be transferred to the custody of the parent or to the student if the student has succeeded to the rights of the parents.

Destruction of biometric information collected by the District, if any, shall instead conform to the requirements of Section 10-20.40 of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-20.40).

Under the Illinois School Student Records Act (“ISSRA”) and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), student record information is generally confidential and cannot be released without parent consent. There are a few exceptions, one of which allows the District to release certain basic identifying information about its students to third parties upon request. This exception known is as Directory Information.

Directory Information

The District has designated the following as Directory Information:

• Identification--name, address, gender, grade level, birthdate and place, parents' names and addresses
• Length of school attendance

Student social security numbers, student identifications, and unique student identifiers are NOT designated as directory information.

No photograph highlighting individual faces shall be used for commercial purposes, including solicitation, advertising, promotion or fundraising without the prior, specific, dated and written consent of the parent or student, as applicable; and no image on a school security videotape recording shall be designated as directory information.

Media/Publication

As part of our community relations efforts and student recognition programs, Lyons Township High School District 204 may periodically release or publish information regarding students and their accomplishments (see Board Policy 7:340—Student Records). Student information and/or images may be included in District publications, on the District website, television/radio station and District administered social media websites. Furthermore, D204 may allow the media in the school to cover non-public events, accomplishments and news stories and to use names, images, photographs or likenesses of students in electronic, video or printed form.

All exclusionary requests must be mailed to Lyons Township High School, 100 S. Brainard Avenue, LaGrange, IL 60525 to the attention of the Community Relations Coordinator within the first 30 days of school.

Parents/guardians should understand that if they withhold consent, none of the student’s information would be released. This includes examples such as information/photograph for the yearbook, award listings such as honor roll and classroom projects highlighted in digital and print form.

Images/Names of Students Taken by Non-school Personnel

While the district limits access to school buildings by outside photographers/news media outlets (see Board Policy 8:10—Connection with the Community), it has no control over other students, news media, or outside entities that may post/publish a picture of an identified or unidentified student. District/school staff members will not identify a student for a photographer/reporter who was not pre-approved to be on district grounds by district/school officials.

This form does not include photographs or videos that do not feature your student but where your student appears in the background which may be released or published without parent authorization. In addition, images of students participating in extracurricular activities (e.g, athletic events, theatrical productions), which by their very nature involve exposure to the public, may also be released or published without authorization from parents.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the District must provide students with disabilities with appropriate special education and related services to address their education needs. Parents have the right to review and copy their student’s school student records prior to any special education eligibility or IEP program review meeting, subject to the requirements of applicable federal and state law. Parents also may request a copy of their student’s related service logs developed and maintained by the District for the following related services: speech and language services, occupational therapy services, physical therapy services, school social work services, school counseling services, school psychology services, and school nursing services.

These related service logs include information regarding the type and duration of the related services administered to their student. Please contact Dr. Melissa Moore, Division Chair for Special Education at 708-579-6521 or mmoore@d204.lths.net, if you have questions regarding your student’s special education services.

The District’s notice for Military Recruiters & Institutions of Higher Education is available here from the Official Records Custodian or District Office.

If you believe the District has violated or is violating your rights under the Board Policy or ISSRA or FERPA, you have the right to file a complaint pursuant to ISSRA or with the United States Department of Education concerning the District’s alleged violation of your rights. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington DC, 20202-4605.

Please contact the campus Associate Principal NC 708-579-6300/SC 708-579-6500 with questions regarding your student’s records.

School districts throughout the State of Illinois contract with different educational technology vendors for beneficial K-12 purposes such as providing personalized learning and innovative educational technologies, and increasing efficiency in school operations.

Under Illinois’ Student Online Personal Protection Act, or SOPPA (105 ILCS 85/), educational technology vendors and other entities that operate Internet websites, online services, online applications, or mobile applications that are designed, marketed, and primarily used for K-12 school purposes are referred to in SOPPA as operators. SOPPA is intended to ensure that student data collected by operators is protected, and it requires those vendors, as well as school districts and the Ill. State Board of Education, to take a number of actions to protect online student data.

Depending upon the particular educational technology being used, our District may need to collect different types of student data, which is then shared with educational technology vendors through their online sites, services, and/or applications. Under SOPPA, educational technology vendors are prohibited from selling or renting a student’s information or from engaging in targeted advertising using a student’s information. Such vendors may only disclose student data for K-12 school purposes and other limited purposes permitted under the law.

In general terms, the types of student data that may be collected and shared include personally identifiable information (PII) about students or information that can be linked to PII about students, such as:

• Basic identifying information, including student or parent/guardian name and student or parent/guardian contact information, username/password, student ID number
• Demographic information
• Enrollment information
• Assessment data, grades, and transcripts
• Attendance and class schedule
• Academic/extracurricular activities
• Special indicators (e.g., disability information, English language learner, free/reduced meals or homeless/foster care status)
• Conduct/behavioral data
• Health information
• Food purchases
• Transportation information
• In-application performance data
• Student-generated work
• Online communications
• Application metadata and application use statistics
• Permanent and temporary school student record information

Operators may collect and use student data only for K-12 purposes, which are purposes that aid in the administration of school activities, such as:

• Instruction in the classroom or at home (including remote learning)
• Administrative activities
• Collaboration between students, school personnel, and/or parents/guardians
• Other activities that are for the use and benefit of the school district

Inspect, upon request and before administration or use:

1. Protected information surveys of students and surveys created by a third party;
2. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
3. Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State law.

District 204 will develop and adopt policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. District 204 will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. District 204 will also directly notify, such as through U.S. Mail or email, parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activities or surveys noted below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey.

District 204 will make this notification to parents at the beginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activities or surveys at that time. For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out of such activities and surveys. Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys. Following is a list of the specific activities and surveys covered under this direct notification requirement:

• Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for marketing, sales, or other distribution.
• Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by ED.
• Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Board Policy 7:220 Bus Conduct provides for use of electronic visual and audio recordings on school buses to monitor conduct and to promote and maintain a safe environment for students and employees when transportation is provided for any school related activity. Notice of electronic recordings shall be displayed on the exterior of the vehicle's entrance door and front interior bulkhead in compliance with State law and the rules of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety.

Students are prohibited from tampering with electronic recording devices. Students who violate this policy shall be disciplined in accordance with the Board's discipline policy and shall reimburse the School District for any necessary repairs or replacement.

Additional information on student records is available in Board Policy 7:340 Student Records.

Pursuant to Illinois School Code (325 ILCS 50/5; 20 Ill.Adm.Code § 1290.60) District 204 requires that the person enrolling a child within 30 days must provide the District with a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate.