Student Records (Storage and Destruction) SOP

PERMANENT RECORDS: Each student’s permanent record will be kept for 60 years after the student transfers, withdraws, or graduates.

Mandatory Items In Permanent Record; No other information shall be placed in the permanent record. 

1. Basic identifying information, including the student’s name and address, birth date and place, gender, and the names and addresses of the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s).
2. Evidence required by the Missing Children’s Records Act. 325 ILCS 50/5(b)(1) - Copy of Birth Certificate.
3. Academic transcripts (grade reports such as report cards K-12), including: grades, graduation date, and grade level achieved; as applicable, and if allowed by District policy, scores received on college entrance examinations if that inclusion is requested in writing by an eligible student or the student’s parent/guardian; the unique student identifier assigned and used by ISBE’s Student Information System (23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.75); as applicable, designation of an Advanced Placement computer science course as a mathematics-based, quantitative course for purposes of meeting State graduation requirements set forth in 105 ILCS 5/27-22; as applicable, designation of the student’s achievement of the State Seal of Biliteracy, awarded in accordance with 105 ILCS 5/2-3.157 and 23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.442; as applicable, designation of the student’s achievement of the State Commendation Toward Biliteracy, awarded in accordance with 23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.442(c); and as applicable, designation of the student’s achievement of the Global Scholar Certification, awarded in accordance with 105 ILCS 5/2-3.167 and 23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.443.
4. Attendance record.
5. Health record, defined by ISBE rule as “medical documentation necessary for enrollment and proof of having certain examinations, as may be required under Section 27-8.1 of the School Code.” 
6. Record of release of permanent record information that contains the information listed in Section I, Record of Release, below. 
7. Scores received on all State assessment tests administered at the high school level (that is, grades 9 through 12). 105 ILCS 5/2-3.64a-5. 

If not maintained in the Student Temporary Record, Permanent Records may consist of: 

1. Honors and awards received.
2. Information concerning participation in school-sponsored activities or athletics, or offices held in school-sponsored organizations. 

TEMPORARY RECORDS: Each student’s temporary record will be kept for five (5) years after the student transfers, withdraws, or graduates.

Mandatory Items In Temporary Record

1. Record of release of temporary record information that contains the information listed in Section I, Record of Release, below.
2. Scores received on the State assessment tests administered in the elementary grade levels (kindergarten through grade 8). 
3. Completed home language survey. 23 Ill.Admin.Code §228.15(d).
4. Information regarding serious disciplinary infractions (that is, those involving drugs, weapons, or bodily harm to another) that resulted in expulsion, suspension, or the imposition of punishment or sanction.
5. Any final finding report received from a Child Protective Service Unit provided to the school under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act; no report other than what is required under Section 8.6 of that Act (325 ILCS 5/8.6) shall be placed in the student record. 23 Ill.Admin.Code §375.40(f).
6. Health-related information, defined by ISBE rule as “current documentation of a student’s health information, not otherwise governed by the MHDDCA or other privacy laws, which includes identifying information, health history, results of mandated testing and screenings, medication dispensation records and logs, e.g., glucose readings, long-term medications administered during school hours, documentation regarding a student athlete’s and his or her parents’ acknowledgment of the District’s concussion policy adopted pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/10-20.53, and other health-related information that is relevant to school participation, e.g., nursing services plan, failed screenings, yearly sports physical exams, interim health histories for sports.
7. Accident report, defined by ISBE rule as “documentation of any reportable student accident that results in an injury to a student, occurring on the way to or from school or on school grounds, at a school athletic event or when a student is participating in a school program or school-sponsored activity or on a school bus and that is severe enough to cause the student not to be in attendance for one-half day or more or requires medical treatment other than first aid. The accident report shall include identifying information, nature of injury, days lost, cause of injury, location of accident, medical treatment given to the student at the time of the accident, or whether the school nurse has referred the student for a medical evaluation, regardless of whether the parent, guardian or student (if 18 years or older) or an unaccompanied homeless youth … has followed through on that request.”
8. Any documentation of a student’s transfer, including records indicating the school or school district to which the student transferred. 23 Ill.Admin.Code §375.75(e).
9. Completed course substitution form for any student who, when under the age of 18, is enrolled in vocational and technical course as a substitute for a high school or graduation requirement. 105 ILCS 10/4; 23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.445.
10. Information contained in related service logs maintained by the District for a student with an individualized education program under 105-ILCS 5/14-8.02f(d), 105 ILCS 10/2(f), amended by P.A. 101-515.

Optional Items for Temporary Student Record:

1. Family background information
2. Intelligence test scores, group and individual 
3. Aptitude test scores
4. Reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence, personality, and academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews
5. Elementary and secondary achievement level test results
6. Participation in extracurricular activities, including any offices held in school-sponsored clubs or organizations 
7. Honors and awards received
8. Other disciplinary information
9. Special Education Records
10. Records associated with plans developed under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. §701 et seq.)
11. Verified reports or information from non-educational persons, agencies, or organizations of clear relevance to the student’s education

Individuals adding information to a student’s temporary record must include their name, signature, and position and the date the information was added. 105 ILCS 10/4(d) using this recording sheet. Each student will have a recording sheet in their temporary folder. 

Send any material for a student transferring into the District that is neither a permanent or temporary record to the parent/guardian, or student who is 18 years of age or older, with the indication that the District does not include that material in school student records. 

Store school student records according to the uniform process developed by the Superintendent or designee. 

District Office:  Records are regularly scanned at CO (every 2-4 years) for those students that have graduated.  All of their information is uploaded on the hard drive at CO and can be referenced for future records requests that come through the district registrar.  

Building Level:  Records are maintained (see matrix above for permanent versus temporary). Records for active and inactive students (separate in nature) are sent to the next building once a child ages out of a specific school.  If the student has an address or program change that changes their building make sure the folder follows the student.

The building records custodian will review all temporary student records of all students changing within the school district or out of district attendance centers and/or transitional grades of 5th to 6th and 8th to 9th grades. Upon graduation, the building custodian ensures all mandatory files in temporary and permanent student folders are properly retained and/or disposed (see destruction of records). 

Transfer school student records as follows:

1. For a student transferring within the District, send originals of all permanent and temporary records.

For a student transferring to an out-of-District elementary or secondary school, follow the section in 7:340-AP1, School Student Records, on Transmission of Records for Transfer Students. Send a copy and retain the original of all permanent and temporary records and notify the Special Education Department of the transfer.

Provide a destruction schedule notice to the parents/guardians of students who transferred, graduated, or withdrew, or students who are 18 years of age or older. Notice may be provided through: 
(1) the District/School’s parent or student handbook, 
(2) publication in a newspaper published in the District or, if no newspaper is published in the district, in a newspaper of general circulation within the District, 
(3) U.S. mail delivered to the last known address of the parent/guardian or student, 
(4) other means provided notice is confirmed to have been received, e.g. hand delivery, return receipt, or read receipt email.  105 ILCS 10/4(h), amended by P.A. 101-161; 23 Ill.Admin.Code §375.40(c).  See 7:340-AP2, E1, Letter Containing Schedule for Destruction of School Student Records. Retain a copy for the school’s record.

Authorize and/or order the destruction of District records after ensuring that the following steps have been performed:

• The Local Records Commission approved a schedule for continuing authority to destroy school student records after the expiration of the applicable period.

• Any record is retained and removed from the disposal list if it is or may be evidence in litigation, or is otherwise subject to a litigation hold.

• A Local Records Disposal Certificate  (EXAMPLE) was sent to the Local Records Commission, Illinois State Archives, 60 days before the disposal date and an approved copy was returned. 44 Ill Admin Code 4000.40(b); 44 Ill Admin Code 4500.40(b).

• Please send a copy of the approved disposal certificate to CO Attn: Director of Quality Assurance or Financial disposal certificate to CO Attn: CFO. 

• Please send a copy of the Certificate of Destruction (ie. company who shred/destroyed documents) to CO Attn: Director of Quality Assurance or to CO Attn: CFO.