Annual Notice to Students - FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

Annually, Simpson Technical College, informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, (FERPA) as amended. The business office will disclose FERPA information by publishing a notice in the student catalog and on the appropriate web locations. This annual notice shall prescribe the procedures whereby a student may make a formal request for non-disclosure of directory information, exercise the right to inspect and review education records, request an amendment of education records, and file a complaint with the school.

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Students should submit to the business office, a written request that identifies the education record(s) they wish to inspect. If the records are not maintained by the business office, the school shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. The appropriate school official will arrange for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the school to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the school will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without prior consent of the student is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the school as a member of the faculty or staff, members of the HCSB School Board, or a person under contract to the school to perform a task such as a consultant, attorney or auditor. Student or community members of school committees are also included in the definition of school officials as are student employees assisting a school official in performing his or her tasks.

Inter-institutional disclosure may be made between the school and entities that administer or participate in joint programs or activities and that further a legitimate educational interest because such disclosures are considered made to "school officials". Directory Information at SunCoast Technical Education Center, is defined as information contained in an education record of a student that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory Information will be made available to the general public unless the student notifies the business office in writing of the wish for privacy. A copy of the Non-Disclosure of Directory Information form is provided to each student at enrollment. Additional copies can be obtained at the business office.

The right to file a complaint concerning alleged failures by the SunCoast Technical Education Center, to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Director of Adult and Technical Education
801 N. Broad Street
Brooksville, FL 34601
(352)797-7018
watson_s@hcsb.k12.fl.us

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA regulations expanded the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records -- including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information -- may be accessed without your consent. Covered under this provision are:

The U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (Federal and State Authorities) who may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is "principally engaged in the provision of education", such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administrated by an education agency or institution.

Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when the school objects to or does not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and date security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities.

In connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal and State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.