Communication

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August 1, 2023


Dear Parent/Guardian, 


Welcome to what we hope will be an exciting and memorable year for you and your family in the Princeton City School District. It is understandable that the mountain of paperwork you receive can be overwhelming. All of the information we request is pertinent and necessary for the business of operating schools. We appreciate your patience and thoroughness in completing all of the forms. This letter provides notification to you of your rights as parent/guardian. 


The Princeton Board of Education has a policy pertaining to student records and the handling of them. The district has not, nor will it ever sell, share or provide personal information to profit-making companies or organizations without your written consent. Federal law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), affords parents certain rights with respect to the student's education records. The law also provides school districts with the right

to disclose directory information to outside organizations including military recruiters without a parent's prior written consent. The district designates the following information as "directory information": 

1.    Student's name
2.    Student's address
3.    Student's date of birth
4.    Student's phone number
5.    Student's place of birth
6.    Student's major field of study
7.    Student's dates of attendance
8.    Student's date of graduation
9.    Student's sports and activities
10.    Student's weight and height if a member of an athletic team
11.    Digital or print photograph

The information below this letter details the specifics of the FERPA law. If you do not want Princeton City Schools to disclose directory information from your child's education records, you must notify the district in writing as to which items of the directory information you want kept private. This notification to the district must be received within 20 school days of receipt of this letter. The district is abiding by Federal law in providing this information to you. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and best wishes for a very fulfilling school year.


Thank you, 

Dr. Ronald Fausnaugh, Director of Student Services 

Mail written notification to: 
Directory Information/Student Services Princeton Board of Education 
25 W. Sharon Rd. 
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

  • Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are

    not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to

    review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

  • Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If

    the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the

    school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting

    forth his or her view about the contested information.

  • Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a

    student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or

    under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

  • o School officials with legitimate educational interest;

  • o Other schools to which a student is transferring;

  • o Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;

  • o Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;

  • o Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;

  • o Accrediting organizations;

  • o To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;

  • o Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and

  • o State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA.

The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

For additional information, you may call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (voice). Individuals who use TDD may use the Federal Relay Service.

Or you may contact the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20202-8520

Click here to view/print this letter in English

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