Parents and students have rights with respect to student records pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of student records. The law gives parents and students over 18 years of age (referred to in the law as "eligible students") the following rights:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the district receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the building principal a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student for the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believe are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record they believe to be inaccurate or misleading by writing the principal, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed, and specifying why it is inaccurate or misleading.

If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosure 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 consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapists); or a parent or student serving on an official committee; such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which the student intends to enroll.

4. The right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The office that administers FERPA is:

The school district has designated certain categories of student information as "directory information." Directory information includes a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major course of study, participation in school activities or sports, weight and height if a member of an athletic team, dates of attendance, degrees and awards, most recent school attended, class schedule, photograph (identification or at events) and class roster.

If you object to the release of any or all of the directory information listed above, you must do so in writing to the appropriate building principal.

Pursuant to the No Child Left Behind Act, Dansville Central School District must disclose to military recruiters or institutions of higher learning, upon request, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of high school students. The district must also notify parents of their right and the right of their child to request that the district not release such information without prior written consent.

Parents wishing to exercise their option to withhold their consent to the release of the information to military recruiters or institutions of higher learning, must contact the school office and complete a form to voice such.

The Board of Education recognizes that student privacy is an important concern of parents and the board wishes to ensure that student privacy is protected pursuant to the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, as revised by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. To that end, the board has adopted a policy on student privacy.

Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, as revised by the No Child Left Behind Act, the Dansville Central School District policy on student privacy, you have the right to opt your child out of the following activities:

1. The collection, disclosure and use of personal information gathered from students for the purpose of marketing or selling that information. This does not apply to the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from the students for the exclusive purpose of developing, evaluating or providing educational products or services for, or to students such as:

2. The administration of any survey revealing information concerning one or more of the following:

3. The administration of any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening that is required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school not necessary to protect the immediate health or safety of the student or other students and not otherwise permitted or required by state law.

The term "invasive physical examination" means any medical examination that involves the exposure of private body parts, or any act during such examination that includes incisions, insertion, or injecting into the body, but does not include a hearing, vision or scoliosis screening. It does not apply to any physical examination or screening required or permitted under state law, including those permitted without parent notification.

If you have any questions about the district’s student privacy policies and your right to opt your child out of certain activities, please contact the appropriate building principal.

In accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, parents and guardians have the right to request specific information about the professional qualifications of their children’s classroom teachers. As a parent/guardian of a student in the Dansville Central School District, you have the right to request the following information:

If the teacher has met New York State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas he or she teaches;

Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which the state qualifications or licensing criteria have been waived;

The teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees and, if so, the subject of the degrees and, if so, the subject of the degrees; and

If your child is provided services by any instructional aides or similar paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if they do, their qualifications.

Requests for information about the qualifications of your child’s teacher(s) can be directed to the appropriate building principal. All requests will be honored in a timely manner. Thank you for your continued support and interest in your child’s education.

AHERA is a federal law enacted in 1987 which requires all school districts to reinspect facilities for asbestos containing materials.

Dansville Central School facilities have been inspected and response actions are planned to ensure a continued safe environment for our students and employees. Activities include training maintenance staff to prevent disturbance of asbestos and periodic inspection and surveillance activities by trained personnel. Details of such activities are described in the district’s AHERA Management Plan, which is available for your review in the district office.

The Dansville Central School has the annual fire reports for public review located at the District Office, 284 Main Street, Dansville, NY 14437. In accordance with New York State Education Law the Dansville School District has the SAVE Emergency Plan available for public review. The plan is available at the District office, 284 Main Street, Dansville, NY 14437.

Dansville Central School is in need of two (2) community volunteers to serve on the District Health and Safety Committee. If interested please call Vaune Crawford at 335-4000 ext 2302.