District 196 maintains a variety of educational records on its students. These records may include grades, attendance, behavioral records, testing data, health records, special education records and other relevant data. The district maintains educational records in compliance with legal requirements for the benefit of students and schools.

The district advises families of their rights with respect to educational records through two annual public notices. The first notice -  titled 505.3.1P - Public Notice – Annual Notification of Rights, Protection and Privacy of Student Records - describes the various student and parent/guardian rights that apply to a student’s educational records and provides information about privacy protections. Rights include, but are not limited to, the right to inspect records, challenge the accuracy of records and file complaints.

The second notice - titled 505.3.2P - Public Notice – Directory and Yearbook Information - lists the categories of student data that are classified as public and subject to release without parent consent. The notice also describes the process for families to follow if they wish to deny the release of their child’s directory information. 

Both notices can be found in the policy section of District 196’s website and are summarized in the annual Overview of Student Rights & Responsibilities which can also be found on the website. The second notice is also published in local newspapers and posted on school bulletin boards. Families are encouraged to review these notices and reach out to the school district with questions.