AP 112

Background

Pursuant to section 79 of the School Act, a Board must maintain an accurate, comprehensive record for each student registered in the school district.  This procedure outlines district requirements for the storage and retrieval of such information.

Procedures

1. Student Records

• 1.1 A student record is defined as any record of information (in written or electronic form) pertaining to an individual student that is created and/or stored by an employee of the school district.
• 1.2 When collecting personal information, school personnel must inform students and/or their parents/guardians of the authority by which the information is collected, the purpose of collecting the information, and the name of someone in the organization to whom the student and/or guardian may speak about the collection.
• 1.3 Personal information collected about students shall be secured and stored in a manner that ensures its privacy and any use of such personal information shall be for the purpose for which the information was collected or compiled or for a use consistent with that purpose.
• 1.4 All student records remain the property of the School District. 

2. Type of Student Records 

• 2.1 Electronic School Records: Schools must follow the guidelines and instructions for electronic school files as per the resources posted in MyEducation BC.  All standards are posted on the Pages top tab, Staff side tab under the Group Resources section.
• 2.2 Permanent Student Record 
  • 2.2.1 The “Permanent Student Record” consists of the following two parts;
    • 2.2.1.1 Form 1704 (PSR Card), completed in accordance with the Ministry of Education and Child Care “Permanent Record Card Completion Instructions”, which are effective at the time of completion, AND
    • 2.2.1.2 A minimum of the two most recent years of Student Progress Reports (including documentation to support orally communicated letter grades), OR: an official copy of the Transcript of Grades. 
  • 2.2.2 Permanent Student Record  - Retention Period

The Permanent Student Record must be maintained for 55 years after the student withdraws or graduates from school.

Note: If there is no Ministry of Education and Child Care Transcript of Grades, then the last two (2) years' reports cards must be maintained as per the Permanent Student Record Order (School Act). These may be stored electronically. 

• 2.3 Student General File: ​A general file shall be established and maintained for each student enrolled and will contain copies of the current records used in the planning and administration of the student’s education program.  All information pertaining to a particular school year must be appended together at the end of each school year and marked with the school year and school name. Student file contents differ for each student, but may contain: 
  • 2.3.1 Medical Alert Information 
  • 2.3.2 Permanent Student Record Card 
  • 2.3.3 Copies of Report Cards 
  • 2.3.4 Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) 
  • 2.3.5 Standardized Individual Achievement Tests 
  • 2.3.6 Transfer Forms 
  • 2.3.7 Registration Forms 
  • 2.3.8 Learning Assistance Referrals 
  • 2.3.9 Student Learning Plans (SLP’s) - Grade 9 and higher 
  • 2.3.10 Safety Plan 
  • 2.3.11 Formal letters of suspension 
  • 2.3.12 Formal notes on behaviour issues, concerns, strategies and interventions. 
  • 2.3.13 Board of Review Package (if any) 
  • 2.3.14 ELL File (Navy Blue)
• 2.4 Learning Support Services (red) Confidential Folder (including): 
  • 2.4.1 Outside Agency Documentation:
    • Custody and Restraining Orders
    • Legal Matters
    • Medical/Health Reports
  • 2.4.2 School District Documentation: 
    • Parent Release Forms
    • Student Services Referral/Reports: (OT, PT, SLP, Vision/Hearing)
    • Behavioural Assessment
    • LAC Reports
    • Psychologist Report
    • School Based Team Recommendations
• 2.5 General Student File Retention Period
  • 2.5.1 Graduates: When a student graduates, the file must be kept until the student reaches the age of 19 years + 3 years. These files are kept at the school.
  • 2.5.2 Non-Graduates Secondary Schools: Secondary schools may retain the general files of students who withdraw; however, they are expected to forward a list to the SBO for tracking purposes. The list will include the complete student name, date of birth, PEN number, grade, last day of attendance and reason for exit.
  • 2.5.3 Non-Graduates Elementary/Middle Schools: ​If a student withdraws, and the file is not requested, the original student general file is sent to the school board office.  For student transfers, see Section 3.

• 2.6 Teacher/Principal/Vice-Principal Files: Records relating to the student's annual activities and work, including interim marks and other related information (such as the learner portfolio, samples of work, or discipline records) are retained in the classroom/principal/vice-principal’s office for the school year, then selectively filed in the student’s general file.

  Note: Discipline records are entered in MyEd and paper copies may not exist. Samples of work should be destroyed or returned to the student

3. Student Transfer/Withdrawals

• 3.1 Public School within the Province of BC: On receipt of a request from a public school within the Province of BC to which a student transfers and is enrolled, a board must transfer the student’s ORIGINAL permanent student record and general file. The Learning Support Services (red) Confidential Folder is only released with a release form signed by the parent/guardian (Appendix A). The file must be mailed with a tracking number attached and retained in order to confirm delivery of the file.  
• 3.2 Independent (private) School OR and Educational Institution outside the Province of BC: Where a former student of the board is enrolled in an independent (private) school within the Province OR in an educational institution (public or private) outside the Province, and a board receives a request from that independent/private school OR educational institution outside of the Province of BC, the board must transfer a COPY of the student’s permanent student record and general file.  The Learning Support Services (red) Confidential Folder is also copied and released with parental/guardianship consent (Appendix A). 

• 3.3 Electronic Student Withdrawals: When withdrawing a student from MyEducation BC, the date entered on the Withdraw Student pop up window is the last day the student attended the school. Do not remove the Create former school association checkbox in the pop-up window so the student’s MyEducation electronic record can be accessible until the remainder of the school year.  After withdrawing a student, use the Filter: Former Students for complete actions such as updating a student transcript record and/or running a learning update (formerly: Report Card). Finally, print the Permanent Student Record after withdrawing the student from MyEducation BC so the withdraw date and withdraw code print correctly on the PSR.  A file copy of the PSR must be retained in the student general file. The withdrawal date must be the day after the last day of school was completed.  After the Withdrawal date and Reason code are entered, a permanent student record card must be printed showing the withdrawal date and the reason code.

  Once a student is withdrawn from the home school, the history of that student is archived, and some reports cannot be run.

  Ministry information regarding withdrawn or graduated students is detailed in the Permanent Record Instructions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/program-management/permanent-student-record

4. Disclosure of Student Information
   Subject to any other statutory or other legal authority or requirement that authorizes or requires disclosure, any person who receives information from a student record shall not disclose that information to any other person except for the purposes of delivering or planning the delivery of the services.

• 4.1 Information regarding a student may be disclosed to:
  • 4.1.1 Abbotsford School District employees as needed. 
  • 4.1.2 A person who is providing health services, social services or other support services if the information is required to provide that service. 
  • 4.1.3 The parent/guardian of the student of school age attending a school. 
  • 4.1.4 NOTE: Parents/guardians may examine the records while accompanied by the principal or a person designated by the principal to interpret the records, and may request copies on payment of a fee that does not exceed the cost to the school of providing copies. The results of psycho-educational assessments and other standardized test results will be discussed with the parent/guardian in a conference, and copies may be offered to the parent/guardian.  Copies of the test protocols may not be given to a parent/guardian.
• 4.2 Requests for student records from lawyers or other third parties (other than parents): All requests for student records from lawyers or other third parties who are not the legal parents/guardians of the student, or are not providing health services or social services, should be forwarded to the district’s freedom of information and protection of privacy coordinator.  Clerical staff should immediately date stamp the request upon receipt and forward it to the secretary-treasurer’s office.  Schools will be requested to make two (2) copies of the required documents.  Note: There is a 30-day timeline on these requests. 

Appendix

AP 112-1 Release of Confidential Information

References

School Act

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Family Law Act

Permanent Student Records Order, BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, Governance and Legislation Branch

Permanent Student Records Instructions, BC Ministry of Education and Child Care
 

(Last Revised: June 2024)
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