Article 4. Rights Of Parents of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 27. >> Chapter 6.5. >> Article 4.

Parents of currently enrolled or former pupils have an absolute right to access to any and all pupil records related to their children that are maintained by school districts or private schools. The editing or withholding of any of those records, except as provided for in this chapter, is prohibited. Each school district shall adopt procedures for the granting of requests by parents for copies of all pupil records pursuant to Section 49065, or to inspect and review records during regular school hours, provided that the requested access shall be granted no later than five business days following the date of the request. Procedures shall include the notification to the parent of the location of all official pupil records if not centrally located and the availability of qualified certificated personnel to interpret records if requested.

Following an inspection and review of a pupil's records, the parent or guardian of a pupil or former pupil of a school district may challenge the content of any pupil record.
  (a) The parent or guardian of a pupil may file a written request with the superintendent of the district to correct or remove any information recorded in the written records concerning his or her child which the parent or guardian alleges to be any of the following:
  (1) Inaccurate.
  (2) An unsubstantiated personal conclusion or inference.
  (3) A conclusion or inference outside of the observer's area of competence.
  (4) Not based on the personal observation of a named person with the time and place of the observation noted.
  (5) Misleading.
  (6) In violation of the privacy or other rights of the pupil.
  (b) Within 30 days of receipt of a request pursuant to subdivision (a), the superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall meet with the parent or guardian and the certificated employee who recorded the information in question, if any, and if the employee is presently employed by the school district. The superintendent shall then sustain or deny the allegations. If the superintendent sustains any or all of the allegations, he or she shall order the correction or the removal and destruction of the information. However, in accordance with Section 49066, the superintendent shall not order a pupil's grade to be changed unless the teacher who determined the grade is, to the extent practicable, given an opportunity to state orally, in writing, or both, the reasons for which the grade was given and is, to the extent practicable, included in all discussions relating to the changing of the grade. If the superintendent denies any or all of the allegations and refuses to order the correction or the removal of the information, the parent or guardian may, within 30 days of the refusal, appeal the decision in writing to the governing board of the school district.
  (c) Within 30 days of receipt of an appeal pursuant to subdivision (b), the governing board shall, in closed session with the parent or guardian and the certificated employee who recorded the information in question, if any, and if the employee is presently employed by the school district, determine whether or not to sustain or deny the allegations. If the governing board sustains any or all of the allegations, it shall order the superintendent to immediately correct or remove and destroy the information from the written records of the pupil, and so inform the parent or guardian in writing. However, in accordance with Section 49066, the governing board shall not order a pupil's grade to be changed unless the teacher who determined the grade is, to the extent practicable, given an opportunity to state orally, in writing, or both, the reasons for which the grade was given and is, to the extent practicable, included in all discussions relating to the changing of the grade. The decision of the governing board shall be final. Records of these administrative proceedings shall be maintained in a confidential manner and shall be destroyed one year after the decision of the governing board, unless the parent or guardian initiates legal proceedings relative to the disputed information within the prescribed period.
  (d) If the final decision of the governing board is unfavorable to the parent or guardian, or if the parent or guardian accepts an unfavorable decision by the district superintendent, the parent or guardian shall be informed and shall have the right to submit a written statement of his or her objections to the information. This statement shall become a part of the pupil's school record until the information objected to is corrected or removed.

(a) To assist in making determinations pursuant to Section 49070, a district superintendent or governing board may convene a hearing panel composed of the following persons, provided that the parent has given written consent to release information from the relevant pupil's records to the members of the panel so convened:
  (1) The principal of a public school other than the public school at which the record is on file.
  (2) A certificated employee appointed by the chairman of the certificated employee council of the district, or, if no such council exists, a certificated employee appointed by the parent.
  (3) A parent appointed by the superintendent or by the governing board of the district, depending upon who convenes the panel.
  (b) The persons appointed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) shall, if possible, not be acquainted with the pupil, his parent or guardian, or the certificated employee who recorded the information, except when the parent or guardian appoints the person pursuant to paragraph (2).
  (c) The principal appointed to the hearing panel shall serve as its chairman.
  (d) The hearing panel shall, in closed session, hear the objections to the information of the parent and the testimony of the certificated employee who recorded the information in question, if any, and if such employee is presently employed by the school district. The hearing panel shall be provided with verbatim copies of the information which is the subject of the controversy. Written findings shall be made setting forth the facts and decisions of the panel, and such findings shall be forwarded to the superintendent or the governing board, depending upon who convened the panel. The proceedings of the hearing shall not be disclosed or discussed by panel members except in their official capacities.

Whenever there is included in any pupil record information concerning any disciplinary action taken by school district personnel in connection with the pupil, the school district maintaining such record or records shall allow the pupil's parent to include in such pupil record a written statement or response concerning the disciplinary action.