School Records Request Form

What is a school records request form?

A school records request form is a formal document used by parents, guardians, or eligible students to request access to or copies of a child’s educational records from a school.

This document could be used to request education records from both private and public schools. Educational records include information about a child’s progress in the school, including test results, attendance scores, transcripts, etc.

In the United States, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides a child’s parents and guardians with a legal right to request education records from school. There are two important considerations everyone should be aware of when using this template:

• First, the right to access a child’s education records provided by FERPA is only applicable for public schools, colleges, or institutions that receive financing from the federal government. It means that private schools and colleges are free to decide whether they provide education records or not.
• Second, the right to access should be given only to a child’s parents or legal guardian. If a child’s parent is deprived of legal custody, he or she cannot get access to the information. A child’s immediate family members, like grandparents, uncles, or aunties, cannot get access unless they have legal custody over a child established by a court.

How to draft a school records request template from scratch?

Drafting a school records request letter is a process that requires attention to detail to ensure all necessary information is included. Below we made a list of all important components a well-drafted request letter should include.

Who is the sender?

The sender is a person who submits this request. A sender under a request for records form for school could be either a child’s parent or a legal guardian. The text of the document shall lay out:

• full name of a sender;
• full residential address;
• relationships to a child; and
• contact information (email or phone number).

The sender must sign the request to make it a legally binding document.

Who is the recipient?

The recipient of the request is always a school, college, or other educational institution that maintains educational records. Thus, the text of the document shall include:

• recipient’s school name;
• school address;
• name and title of a person who shall receive this request (e.g., principal, director, teacher).

What to include?

A well-drafted school records request form template should contain:

• Child’s information: full name, date of birth, and grade.
• Scope of request: A parent or legal guardian may request all records a school has or some information only.
• Purpose of request: It is advisable to indicate in brief the reason for sending a request. The law does not specify a definitive list of reasons for which a request may or may not be submitted.
• Delivery method: The text of a letter shall specify how a sender prefers to receive requested information. Usually schools may send educational records via email or by post. However, if a parent or legal guardian wants to come in person, they should indicate the same in the text of the request.
• Acknowledgment of fee: Some schools may require paying a small fee for processing such an application. This is especially the case when a parent/legal guardian requires hard copies of educational records.
• Deadlines: FERPA establishes the maximum deadline for consideration of the request of forty-five calendar days. However, such a deadline applies only to public schools, colleges, and institutions that receive federal financing from the government.

How to customize a document template at FasterDraft?

To get a fully customized legal document template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format—school records request form PDF or Word.
4. Make a payment.
5. E-sign, download, and instantly use the printable school records request form template.