The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records, and requires that Lexington County School District One obtain your written consent or the student’s written consent if over 18 years of age, with certain exceptions, prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. FERPA allows student information that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy to be disclosed. FERPA refers to this as “directory information.”

The district may, however, disclose, appropriately designated “directory information” without a parent’s prior written consent, unless you have advised the district to the contrary.

Directory information is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released and which is normally included in certain school publications.

During your child’s school career, your child will participate in a variety of academic, athletic, fine arts, and other events and activities. During these events and activities, your child may be photographed and/or interviewed by district or school staff, other students or news media. Information about your child may appear in school annuals or yearbooks, newspaper articles, on television, in radio broadcasts, on displays, on the internet, or in district/school promotional pieces including, but not limited to, district or school websites, brochures, fliers, honor roll or other recognition lists, newsletters, playbills, programs (including graduation and athletic programs), television shows, videos, etc. The district may include some directory information in these school, district or media pieces.

Lexington One classifies the following student information as directory information:

• name;
• address;
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
• weight and height of members of athletic teams;
• dates of attendance;
• diploma or certificate and awards received;
• grade level;
• most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student;
• photographs, digital images, images on videotape, and other electronic images (as related to school-sponsored or district-sponsored events, activities, and special recognitions);
• other similar information which may appear in newspaper articles, on television, in radio broadcasts, on displays, on the world wide web, or in district or school promotional pieces.

In addition, federal laws require schools to provide military recruiters and/or institutions of higher education, upon request, with three directory information categories — names, addresses, and telephone listings—unless parents have advised the school that they do not want their student’s information disclosed. 

At the beginning of each school year, you receive information about FERPA in the district's Online Registration system.

If you want to change the way your child's directory information is handled, please contact the district's Chief Communications Officer by email at lroof@lexington1.net.