S-0646.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5603

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Stevens, Zarelli, Johnson, Roach, Oke and Hochstatter

Read first time 02/03/97.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Allowing parents access to student records and prohibiting their release without parental consent.

    AN ACT Relating to student records; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.600 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.600 RCW to read as follows:

    The parent or guardian of a student who is or has been in attendance at a school has the right to review all education records of the student.  A school may not release the education records of a student without the written consent of the student's parent or guardian, except as authorized by RCW 28A.600.475 and the family educational and privacy rights act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g.

    The board of directors of each school district shall establish a procedure for:

    (1) Granting the request by a parent or guardian for access to the education records of his or her child; and

    (2) Prohibiting the release of student information without the written consent of the student's parent or guardian, after the parent or guardian has been informed what information is being requested, who is requesting the information and why, and what will be done with the information.

    The procedure adopted by the school district must be in compliance with the family educational and privacy rights act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g.

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