Skip to main content

Dedham Public Schools

Student Records

Student Records

In order to provide Dedham Public School students with appropriate instruction and educational services, it is necessary for the school system to maintain extensive and sometimes personal information about them and their families. It is essential that pertinent information in these records be readily available to appropriate school personnel, be accessible to the student's parents or legal guardian and/or the student in accordance with law, and yet be guarded as confidential information.

The Superintendent will provide for the proper administration of student records in keeping with state and federal requirements, and shall obtain a copy of the state student records regulations (603 CMR 23.00). The temporary record of each student enrolled on or after June 2002 will be destroyed no later than seven years after the student transfers, graduates or withdraws from the Dedham School District. Written notice to the eligible student and his/her parent of the approximate date of destruction of the temporary record and their right to receive the information in whole or in part, shall be made at the time of such transfer, graduation, or withdrawal. The student's transcript may only be destroyed 60 years following his/her graduation, transfer, or withdrawal from the school system.

All individual student records of the school system are confidential. This extends to giving out individual addresses and telephone numbers.

The Massachusetts Student Record Regulations address all issues associated with parents’ and eligible students’ rights of confidentiality, inspection, amendment, and destruction of student records, as well as the District’s responsibilities with regard to the maintenance of such records.

Dedham School Committee Policy - JRA-R - STUDENT RECORDS outline all Dedham policies, in accordance with MA regulations.  

The following information is a basic summary of those regulations and should not be considered as providing any rights or imposing any responsibilities in excess of the actual Student Record Regulations; such regulations may be found at 603 CMR 23.00

A parent, or a student who has entered the ninth grade or is at least fourteen years old (eligible student), has the right to inspect the student record upon request. The record must be made available to the parent or eligible student no later than ten days after the request, unless the parent or eligible student consents to a further delay. The parents or eligible student has the right to receive copies of any part of the student record.

The District may charge a reasonable fee for such copying, not to exceed the costs of reproduction, unless the charging of such fee would effectively prevent the parents or eligible student from exercising their federal rights to inspect and review the records.

Finally, the parents or eligible student may request to have the record interpreted by a professionally qualified school employee or a 3rd party of their choosing, who may thereafter inspect and interpret the records following their production of specific written consent from the parent or eligible student.

Subject to specific exceptions enumerated in the regulations, no individuals or organizations are allowed to have access to information in the student record without the specific, written consent of the parent or eligible student. In addition, subject to specific exemptions enumerated in the regulations, any person inspecting or releasing information contained in the student record must note in a log kept as part of the temporary record, which portion of the record was inspected or released, and for what purpose.

The parent and the eligible student have the right to add relevant comments, data, information, or other relevant written materials to the student record. In addition, the parent and eligible student have the right to request that certain information in the record be amended or deleted. Parents or eligible students should refer to the specific requirements contained within the Student Record Regulations with regard to the appropriate procedure to follow with regard to any such requested amendment or deletion of a student record.

The regulations require that the student record and transcript be destroyed within a certain period of time after the student leaves the school system. In addition, school authorities are allowed to destroy misleading, outdated, or irrelevant information in the student record from time to time while the student is enrolled within the school system. Before any such information may be destroyed, the parent and eligible student must be notified and have an opportunity to receive a copy of any of the information before its destruction.

  • A parent, or a student who has entered the ninth grade or is at least fourteen years old (eligible student), has the right to inspect the student record upon request. The record must be made available to the parent or eligible student no later than ten days after the request, unless the parent or eligible student consents to a further delay. The parents or eligible student has the right to receive copies of any part of the student record.

    The District may charge a reasonable fee for such copying, not to exceed the costs of reproduction, unless the charging of such fee would effectively prevent the parents or eligible student from exercising their federal rights to inspect and review the records.

    Finally, the parents or eligible student may request to have the record interpreted by a professionally qualified school employee or a 3rd party of their choosing, who may thereafter inspect and interpret the records following their production of specific written consent from the parent or eligible student.

  • Subject to specific exceptions enumerated in the regulations, no individuals or organizations are allowed to have access to information in the student record without the specific, written consent of the parent or eligible student. In addition, subject to specific exemptions enumerated in the regulations, any person inspecting or releasing information contained in the student record must note in a log kept as part of the temporary record, which portion of the record was inspected or released, and for what purpose.

  • The parent and the eligible student have the right to add relevant comments, data, information, or other relevant written materials to the student record. In addition, the parent and eligible student have the right to request that certain information in the record be amended or deleted. Parents or eligible students should refer to the specific requirements contained within the Student Record Regulations with regard to the appropriate procedure to follow with regard to any such requested amendment or deletion of a student record.

  • The regulations require that the student record and transcript be destroyed within a certain period of time after the student leaves the school system. In addition, school authorities are allowed to destroy misleading, outdated, or irrelevant information in the student record from time to time while the student is enrolled within the school system. Before any such information may be destroyed, the parent and eligible student must be notified and have an opportunity to receive a copy of any of the information before its destruction.