Letter Requesting Educational File
November 17, 2010This sample letter requests that the local education agency (school district, county office of education, etc.) provide you with copies of your child’s entire educational file under federal and California laws.
Each portion of the letter you have to fill in is designated by text enclosed in brackets ([example]).
Sample Letter
[Your Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Telephone number]
[E-mail Address]
[Date]
[Public Agency/LEA Administrator’s Name]
[Title]
[School Name]
[School Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Re: Request for [Your child’s name] education records
Dear Mr./Ms. [Principal/Administrator’s Last Name],
I am writing to request copies of my child’s educational file pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 300.562 and Cal. Educ. Code §56504.
Please provide these records to me in hard copy or in digital format as soon as possible, but no later than 5 business days from the date of this letter.
These records should include, but not be limited to, all of the following: assessment reports, assessment protocols, assessment plans, progress reports, report cards, Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) documentation and notes, medical records, e-mails, and any other records that personally identify my child.
Thank you for your prompt response.
Sincerely,
[Your name, relation to child]
Legal citations referenced in the letter:
Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 300.562 (34 C.F.R. § 300.562) – establishes parent’s right to review educational records.
(a) Each participating agency shall permit parents to inspect and review any education records relating to their children that are collected, maintained, or used by the agency under this part. The agency shall comply with a request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting regarding an IEP, or any hearing pursuant to §§300.507 and 300.521-300.528, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made.
(b) The right to inspect and review education records under this section includes-
- The right to a response from the participating agency to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records;
- The right to request that the agency provide copies of the records containing the information if failure to provide those copies would effectively prevent the parent from exercising the right to inspect and review the records; and
- The right to have a representative of the parent inspect and review the records.
(c) An agency may presume that the parent has authority to inspect and review records relating to his or her child unless the agency has been advised that the parent does not have the authority under applicable State law governing such matters as guardianship, separation, and divorce.
California Education Code Section 56504
The parent shall have the right and opportunity to examine all school records of his or her child and to receive copies pursuant to this section and to Section 49065 within five business days after the request is made by the parent, either orally or in writing. The public agency shall comply with a request for school records without unnecessary delay before any meeting regarding an individualized education program or any hearing pursuant to Section 300.121, 300.301, 300.304, or 300.507 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations or resolution session pursuant to Section 300.510 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations and in no case more than five business days after the request is made orally or in writing.
The parent shall have the right to a response from the public agency to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. If a school record includes information on more than one pupil, the parents of those pupils have the right to inspect and review only the information relating to their child or to be informed of that specific information. A public agency shall provide a parent, on request of the parent, a list of the types and locations of school records collected, maintained, or used by the agency. A public agency may charge no more than the actual cost of reproducing the records, but if this cost effectively prevents the parent from exercising the right to receive the copy or copies, the copy or copies shall be reproduced at no cost.