Student Records

SUBJECT: Student Records

PURPOSE:

I. STUDENT RECORDS

A. The student record is the property of the school and shall be maintained to serve the student and the school in accordance with legal, accrediting, and regulatory agency requirements. Parents, guardians, and students have the right of access to the information contained in the student record. All student information shall be regarded as confidential and available only to authorized users.

B. Individuals engaged in collection, handling, or dissem­ination of student information are required to maintain complete confidentiality of student information and information will be provided on a "needs to know" basis ONLY. All WSSB staff with access to student files will sign an Oath of Confidentiality (see attached) and be guided by the conditions contained therein.

II. MAINTAINING STUDENT RECORDS

A. The official (original) active student record shall be kept in the school office under the direct supervision of the school secretary. Student records may not be removed from this location without the permission of the school secretary and/or the Director of Education.

B. At the discretion of the Director of Student Home Services, records of student residential information can be kept in a separate file in the cottage while the student is a resident of the school. All ORIGINAL documents contained in these files shall be forwarded to the school office when the student leaves W.S.S.B. for inclusion in the permanent student file. Copies of student information already contained in the official student file will be destroyed at this time.

C. Medical records for active students shall be kept in the Student Health Center. When the student leaves W.S.S.B., these ORIGINAL records shall be forwarded to the school office for inclusion in the student's perma­nent file. Ail copies of student information from other W.S.S.B. departments contained in the file will be destroyed at this time.

D. All staff should be aware that there is only one offi­cial student file and all information and/or documents which need to be a part of the official file should be sent to the school secretary for inclusion in the student file. Copies of student information or working files containing student information in any other area of the school SHALL BE DESTROYED when the need for the working file no longer exists.

III. RELEASE OF INFORMATION

A.  Access to the official student record shall be limited to W.S.S.B. staff who have responsibility for the care and education of the student. Each student file will contain a record of authorized persons who have ac­cessed the student's file for student information.

B. A request to review student records from any person other than authorized W.S.S.B. staff shall be directed to the Director of Education, Director of Student Home Life, or the Superintendent who will determine whether the request falls within the legal and regulatory guidelines before granting permission. Any review of records by such an individual will be recorded by that person by signing, dating, and stating purpose of record review on the record sheet contained in the student file.

C. When copies of any or all of a student record are provided to an authorized individual, a record of the student documents which wee copied, the name of the person to whom provided, the date provided, and the purpose will be recorded on the record sheet contained in the student file. Release of information from the student file shall be in accordance with all applicable legal, accrediting, or regulatory agency requirements.

D. Students may have access to their files if the request is made with reasonable notice and subject to legal constraints such as those governing minors.

E. Information contained in the student file is CONFIDEN­TIAL and release of information will be closely con­trolled. A properly completed and signed authorization is required for release of all student information except:

1. As required by law (i.e., Vital statistics, commu­nicable disease reporting, Medicare and disability claims).
2. Release to another provider currently involved in the care of the student (i.e., case management services, institutions, hospitals, physicians).

F. Appropriate legal consent is required to release stu­dent information to legal services, insurance compa­nies, lawyers, physicians not currently caring for student, FBI, police, courts, and others not specified in "E" above.

G. Information released to authorized individuals/agencies shall be strictly limited to that information required to fulfill the purpose stated in the authorization Authorizations asking for "any and all information..." or other broadly inclusive statements shall not be honored Release of information that is not essential to the stated purpose of the request is specifically prohibited

H. Record information originated by other facilities is the property of those particular facilities and cannot be released by the school without the approval of the originating facility

IV. RECORD RETENTION

A. Records of former students shall be kept in a secure area on campus for a minimum of five years after the discharge of students

B. Special education records must be kept for two years after withdrawal or graduation from school, or two years after a former student turns 21. After that time, W.S.S.B. student files can be purged in accor­dance with the following procedure:

1. A letter will be sent to the last known address of the student and/or parents indicating that all file contents excepting essential information as defined herein will be destroyed unless claimed by the student and/or parents within 60 days from date of letter
2. Information to be considered as essential and retained will include the most current IEP, the last comprehensive evaluation results (intelli­gence test, low vision report, medical report, psychological evaluation, hearing evaluation), enrollment application form, and transcript of grades.
3. If letter is returned with no forwarding address, letter and envelope should be kept in the student file and the file may be purged as outlined in items 1 and 2 above.
4. Purged student files will be kept in secure place until determined no longer of historical or indi­vidual value to be decided by future W.S.S.B. administrative staff.