Do Divorced Fathers Have the Right to Review School Records?

Your childs school records should be available for review whether or not you are the custodial parent. Sometimes the school district will tell you something different. You need to know what your rights are.

This is a difficult subject to talk about and every state and even school district has it’s own way of handling such situations. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents certain rights when it comes to their child’s school records, but it is best to check with your local school district.

With private schools, this understanding lies with the enrollment portion of the school. Each father will need to consult with them. With a public school, the rules are a little bit different. However, some of the basics still remain the same. Each father needs to consult with public school personally. Some states will allow access to some of the records, others will not.

If a divorced father is granted access, there are a few things he must keep in mind.

1. He doesn’t need a court order to look over his child’s records. A common misconception is that this order has to be outlined in the divorce agreement. This is not true for all states. As long as the father is a designated guardian of the child, he has the right to see his child’s records. Take a look at the state of primary residence and check with them.
2. If the principle has designated the father to have access, then he is allowed. Some states like to operate on this contingent alone. If the school principal will allow the father access, he can look at them at any time.
3. Some states will only do it if the father fills out a form. This is standard procedure for many schools. Just fill out the form. Don’t wait. This should be done prior to the child beginning classes. The request must be signed off right away. The school will have no more then 15 days to okay the request.
4. Another way in which a divorced father can get access is if the information is wrong. If the father is a designated guardian, he has the right to challenge a school. He can do this based on any inaccuracy. If the school has false claims on the child in the records, he can challenge on that too.

If the father is denied this right, he can challenge it and the school must give adequate reasons why the request was denied. He can go through two channels. He can get in touch with the Regional Office of Education or the State Board of Education. If there is any falsifying of information, the school can be held liable for damages.

He is still the father, unless he has been proven to be a danger to his child. Which means he can challenge something he feels is unjust in his kid’s life. He has the right to be notified regularly, as any other parent would be. Check with your state for more information.