Your Child's School Records Belong to You: A No-Nonsense Guide to FERPA for DC Families

Let's be honest: most parents don't think about FERPA until something goes wrong. Your kid gets suspended and you want to see the incident report. You're worried about what's in their file before a school transfer. You're not sure whether the IEP documentation the new school has is accurate. Suddenly, a federal privacy law you've never thought twice about becomes very relevant — and very confusing.

Here's the short version: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act gives parents significant rights over their children's educational records. Schools don't always volunteer this information clearly, and navigating the process can feel deliberately opaque. This guide is designed to cut through that.

What FERPA Actually Covers

FERPA applies to any school that receives federal funding — which includes virtually every public school in DC, including DC Public Schools (DCPS) and most charter schools. The law gives parents of students under 18 (and students themselves once they turn 18) two core rights:

1. The right to inspect and review their child's educational records
2. The right to request corrections to records they believe are inaccurate or misleading

The law also restricts schools from sharing student records with outside parties without parental consent, with some important exceptions.

"Educational records" is broader than most people realize. It includes academic transcripts, yes — but also disciplinary records, attendance logs, health records maintained by the school, special education documentation (including IEPs and evaluation reports), counselor notes, and records related to school-based services.

If it's maintained by the school and directly related to your child, it's almost certainly covered.

How to Actually Request Your Child's Records

Here's where a lot of families get tripped up. Schools are required to respond to a records request within 45 days, but many parents don't know they need to make a formal written request to trigger that clock. Asking a teacher verbally doesn't count. Sending a casual email to a counselor might not either.

To protect yourself, submit a written request directly to the school's records custodian — often the principal's office or a designated records officer. In DCPS, each school has a records request process, and the central office can help if you're getting the runaround. For DC charter schools, contact the school's administrative office directly.

Your request should:

• Be in writing (email is fine, but keep a copy)
• Clearly state that you're requesting access to your child's educational records under FERPA
• Specify what records you're looking for if you know (e.g., "all disciplinary records from the 2023-2024 school year" or "all special education evaluation reports")
• Include your name, your child's name, and your child's date of birth or student ID

Schools can charge a reasonable fee for copies, but they cannot charge you for the time it takes to search for and retrieve records.

Disciplinary Records: What You Can and Can't See

This is one of the most common areas of confusion. If your child has been disciplined — suspended, referred to the office, placed in an alternative setting — those records are yours to review. Schools sometimes act like disciplinary files are off-limits to parents, but that's not accurate under FERPA.

You have the right to see:

• Incident reports related to your child
• Records of any suspension or expulsion
• Documentation of behavioral interventions
• Any referrals to law enforcement that are maintained in the school's records

One important nuance: if a disciplinary incident involved multiple students, the school can share information about your child but is not required to (and generally should not) share identifying information about other students involved.

Special Education Records: A Closer Look

For families of students with disabilities, FERPA works alongside the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides additional protections. You have the right to inspect all records related to your child's special education evaluation, eligibility determination, IEP, and placement — and schools must comply with a records request within 45 days (FERPA) or, under IDEA, before any IEP meeting or due process hearing, whichever comes first.

If you believe records are incomplete or inaccurate — say, an evaluation report that doesn't reflect your child's actual abilities, or a service log that shows services weren't delivered as promised — you can formally request that the school amend the record. If the school refuses, you have the right to a hearing and, ultimately, to insert a statement of disagreement into the file.

What Schools Can Share Without Your Permission

FERPA isn't just about your rights — it's also worth understanding when schools can share information without asking you first. Permitted disclosures include:

• School officials with legitimate educational interests (teachers, counselors, administrators working with your child)
• Other schools your child is transferring to
• State and local education authorities conducting audits or evaluations
• Financial aid administrators for college students
• Law enforcement in cases involving health or safety emergencies

Schools are also permitted to share directory information — name, grade level, participation in activities — without consent, unless you've submitted a written opt-out. Check with your school about their directory information policy if this concerns you.

When You Feel Stonewalled

Some families do everything right and still hit a wall. Here's what to do:

Step 1: Document everything. Keep copies of your requests and any responses (or non-responses) you receive.

Step 2: Escalate within the school. If the principal's office isn't responding, contact the DCPS Office of the General Counsel or your charter school's governing board.

Step 3: File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO). Complaints must generally be filed within 180 days of the alleged violation. The SPPO investigates and can require schools to change their practices.

You can also contact a local education advocacy organization. Groups like Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE) in DC can help families understand their rights and navigate disputes with schools.

Knowing your rights under FERPA won't solve every problem — but it's a powerful starting point. Your child's records tell an important part of their story, and you have every right to read it.