Student Handbook and Policies

Allcrest Texas Academy offers two types of enrollment: full-time and part-time. Full-time students take all of their coursework through the Academy and plan to earn their diploma from the Academy. Part-time students enroll in one or more Academy courses with the intention of transferring the credit back to their home district. The steps in the enrollment process depend on which type of enrollment a student chooses.

When a student registers with Allcrest Texas Academy as a full-time student, he or she completes an application and submits the following documentation to the administration:

General Information

• Name, Address, Birthdate, etc.

Proof of age, verified with one of the following:

• Original birth certificate
• Notarized copy of a birth certificate
• Valid passport
• Original baptismal certificate showing the date of birth
• Copy of the record of baptism — notarized or duly certified and showing the date of birth
• Notarized statement from a parent or another relative attesting to the date of birth
• Prior school records that list the date of birth

Copy of latest school records

• Students entering KINDERGARTEN are not required to submit past school records.
• Students coming to Allcrest Texas Academy from a home school setting must provide an adequate record of the student’s academic performance. Acceptable documentation includes standardized test scores, a self-created record of achievement, and activity records or transcripts from other online or private schools.
• Copy of IEP or 504 plan, if applicable.
• English Language Proficiency test results for international students.

Part-time students enroll planning to transfer the credit they earn back to their home district. Before enrolling, every part-time student should confirm with their home district that the transferred credit will be accepted.

Before enrolling in classes, each full-time student meets with Allcrest Texas Academy’s administration to map out the course of study that best fits the student. Part-time students select their courses during enrollment and may begin coursework as soon as payment is received. For more details about enrolling, students and parents can reach out to our help desk. Visit our customer support page to get in touch.

Allcrest Texas Academy’s online program builds in a great deal of flexibility around start and end dates. These dates are set individually for each student at registration. All coursework must be finished no later than the “end of enrollment date” established when the student registers. Once a final grade report has been issued for a course, no additional work may be submitted for that course. In addition, no course enrollment period may run past the original end date unless an extension has been requested. (See the Extensions section for details.)

All core curriculum enrollments carry equivalent seat time: each semester-long core course is designed to require 90 hours of class time, not counting study and project time.

Beginning each fall, we offer semester-long courses running 14–20 weeks with flexible start and end dates. Students may begin at any point in the fall but must attend for a minimum of 14 weeks and a maximum of 20 weeks. Students receive specific tasks each week and are expected to put in at least 5 hours of work per week. Synchronous sessions are included. (Note: AP courses are offered only in the semester-long 18-week format and must wrap up before AP exam dates. Students must be enrolled by the second week of September.)

We also offer a condensed 6-week summer schedule. Students receive specific weekly tasks and are expected to work a minimum of 11.5 hours per week. Synchronous sessions are included. (Note: AP courses are not available in the condensed format.)

Every Allcrest Texas Academy course includes a pacing guide with target due dates that helps students stay on top of their coursework. Weekly reports and regular communication further help ensure students hit their targets. Any coursework left unfinished at the end of the semester receives a zero for each incomplete item, and those zeroes are factored into the student’s average when final grades are calculated.

To graduate and earn a high school diploma, students must meet the following criteria:

Total Credits

*must include one year of lab science

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Students must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0 or higher and a Core Grade Point Average of 2.3 or higher (covering all courses in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science).

A course extension — a change to the student’s end of enrollment date — may be granted when requested by the student’s parent or designated mentor. An extension may run up to eight weeks past the original end date. Extensions are granted only for extenuating circumstances and solely at the discretion of Allcrest Texas Academy’s administration.

Extenuating circumstances are personal issues or events that prevent a student from completing schoolwork. The Academy defines “extenuating circumstances” strictly as the following:

• Bereavement (due to the death of a close relative or significant other)
• Serious short-term illness or accident
• Worsening of a long-term chronic health condition
• Other exceptional circumstances (such as a natural disaster, severe weather, military service of a family member, or civil unrest)

The following situations are not considered extenuating circumstances that qualify for an extension:

• A student claims a medical problem but provides no evidence or documentation, such as a doctor’s note.
• The Academy has already adjusted the student’s deadlines once in response to a short- or long-term medical problem.
• A student submits documentation for a medical issue, but the documentation does not indicate a time frame for the issue to be resolved.
• Events or circumstances that a reasonable person could have foreseen and planned to avoid or work around.
• Minor illnesses for which a person would not normally take sick leave.
• Holidays, festivals, or private celebrations (including weddings).
• Problems with computers, printers, or network facilities.
• A student’s failure to back up work or to manage his or her time effectively.

When an extension is granted, the following rules apply:

• At least 50% of the student’s work must be complete before an extension is requested. Students are expected to work consistently and make adequate progress, with regular logins and steady progression throughout their enrollment.
• No more than one extension will be considered per course, per student.
• Extension requests must be submitted before the student’s enrollment end date.
• If the course requirements are not met by the end of the extension, a final grade will be issued based on the work completed, with zeroes recorded for any work left unfinished.
• Fees apply to approved extensions.
• To request an extension, students should contact the help desk to begin the extension request process. Requests must be made in writing.

To protect academic integrity, course assignments are configured to allow each student a single attempt. Students may request an assignment reset when technical glitches or special circumstances occur. These requests must be sent by email to the course teacher.

Students may change their course enrollment (drop classes, switch courses, etc.) up to fourteen days after the scheduled student start date. Allcrest Texas Academy will refund 100% of any course fees for a course dropped within this window. If a course is exchanged for a different course, no refund is issued.

Written withdrawal notification must reach Allcrest Texas Academy before the 14-day grace period closes. After fourteen days, the student is considered enrolled in the course for the semester; the student will be assigned a grade in the course, and the enrollment fee becomes non-refundable. A student who withdraws after the 14-day period will receive a WF (withdraw fail), and it will appear on the transcript as a WF.

Allcrest Texas Academy instructors meet the United States Department of Education’s Highly Qualified Teacher requirements.

Every Allcrest Texas Academy teacher must hold:

• a bachelor’s degree
• full state certification or licensure
• teaching experience in the subject area assigned

Students enrolled at Allcrest Texas Academy have access to frequent instructor-initiated interaction. As students complete course assignments, teachers provide individualized feedback on performance along with suggestions for future success. This feedback is delivered asynchronously within the learning management system (LMS).

Students are also required to interact with their instructors in real time throughout the course. Real-time interaction between student and teacher happens for a variety of reasons. One-on-one sessions — by phone, video chat, text chat, or email — take place on an as-needed basis for individual tutoring and remediation. Teachers also hold synchronous sessions with students to work through specific content. Between the asynchronous and synchronous feedback and interaction, students are connecting with their instructors daily.

Course assessments are graded by a highly qualified teacher, by our computer system, or by a combination of computerized scoring and manual teacher grading. Between thirty and fifty percent of the assessments in a course are graded manually by the teacher — the exact percentage varies by course. Computer-scored assessments are graded the moment the student completes them; students can use tools in the learning management system to check their progress right away, and at any time.

When teachers grade assessments, they provide feedback through a variety of options, including commenting features and/or PDF markup tools. The assessment, with feedback included, is returned to the student through the learning management system (LMS). For synchronous assessments, such as benchmark tests or oral assessments, students receive feedback in real time, and the teacher also records that feedback in the LMS gradebook so the student can revisit it as needed. Teachers may additionally use the “comments” section of each assignment in the LMS gradebook to offer more general feedback. All feedback is captured and stored within Allcrest Texas Academy’s LMS and remains accessible to the student even after the enrollment period has ended.

Teachers at Allcrest Texas Academy are expected to deliver a grade within 72 hours of receiving an assignment. If a student submits multiple assignments at the same time, the grading window increases by 72 hours for each additional assignment. (Teachers need adequate time to give the kind of rich, thoughtful, and thorough feedback that helps students grow academically.) An Instruction Manager monitors course gradebooks to ensure prompt assessment turnaround times.

All grades are reported numerically. Students will receive a percentage score in their final grade report.

Special education law, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), defines the legal rights of private school students to publicly funded special education services. Specifically, it states that a private institution student does not have the same legal rights to special education services as a special education student in public school.

For any student at Allcrest Texas Academy with an Instructional Education Plans (IEP), accommodations will be made to the best of the Academy’s ability. Copies of a student’s IEP will be collected upon enrollment and remain private within the data of the Academy. Public school districts are given a small amount of money each year by the federal government to fund IEPs for special education students who attend private settings. Public school districts are required to meet with the administrators of private institutions in their area and discuss what services they will provide. The amount varies from year to year. For more information, visit IDEA.

Cyberbullying

Allcrest Texas Academy prohibits harassment, intimidation, and bullying by any means.

Prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to, electronic, written, verbal, or physical acts, whether direct or indirect, when such intentional electronic, verbal, written, or physical acts physically harm a student, substantially interfere with a student’s education, threaten the overall educational environment, and/or substantially disrupt the operation of the school.

Allcrest Texas Academy likewise prohibits harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, economic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, physical appearance, or mental, physical, or sensory disability.

Examples of such bullying include, but are not limited to:

• Sending mean, threatening, or sexual messages or images to a classmate via email, IM (instant messaging), or text message.
• Spreading rumors about classmates through email, IM, or text messages.
• Creating a website or social networking page that targets another student.
• Sharing fake or embarrassing photos or videos of classmates with others via a cell phone or the Web.
• Stealing a classmate’s login and password to send mean or embarrassing messages from that student’s account.

Allcrest Texas Academy reserves the right to discipline any student for actions intended to harm another student or other individual, or actions that adversely affect the safety and well-being of a student or other individual associated with the school.

Students are expected to:

• Treat one another respectfully, both in person and online.
• Refuse to cyberbully or to let others be cyberbullied.
• Refuse to participate in or encourage any form of cyberbullying.
• Report cyberbullying to a parent, teacher, or administrator as soon as they become aware of it.

Netiquette and Online Communication

Netiquette is network etiquette — the guidelines for appropriate online communication and good behavior in cyberspace. Online communication may take place through discussions, blogs, texts, chats, emails, or online synchronous sessions. Communication builds relationships between teachers and students and among students, and it is therefore essential to every student’s success.

In communications with teachers and other students, students are expected to:

• Be concise and to the point.
• Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Avoid attaching unnecessary files.
• Avoid sending messages in ALL CAPS (ALL CAPS reads like shouting).
• Review (reread) messages before sending them and make any needed corrections.
• Use meaningful subject lines that describe the topic of the message.
• Include all necessary details so the recipient understands what the student is trying to communicate.
• Avoid abbreviations and emoticons.
• Avoid profanity or obscenities in any communication.
• Respond to teacher communications promptly (within 24 hours).

Violations of these rules will result in a reprimand from the administrator or teacher. Once cautioned about email netiquette, a student must correct the message and resend it. Continued violations may lead to disciplinary action, including loss of the student’s privileges to use Allcrest Texas Academy’s information technology resources.

Allcrest Texas Academy’s information technology resources, including the learning management system, are provided for educational purposes. Following the Technology Use Policy outlined below is required for continued access to the school’s technological resources.

Students are expected to:

1. Respect and protect the privacy of others.
   • Use only assigned accounts.
   • Not view, use, or copy passwords, data, or networks to which they are not authorized.
   • Not distribute private information about others or themselves.
2. Respect and protect the integrity, availability, and security of all electronic resources.
   • Observe all network security practices, as posted.
   • Report security risks or violations to a teacher or network administrator.
   • Not destroy or damage data, networks, or other resources that do not belong to them, without clear permission of the owner.
   • Conserve, protect, and share these resources with other students and Internet users.
3. Respect and protect the intellectual property of others.
   • Not infringe copyrights (no making illegal copies of music, games, or movies).
   • Not plagiarize.
4. Respect and practice the principles of community.
   • Communicate only in ways that are kind and respectful.
   • Report threatening or discomforting materials to a teacher or mentor.
   • Not intentionally access, transmit, copy, or create material that violates the school’s code of conduct (such as messages that are pornographic, threatening, rude, discriminatory, or meant to harass).
   • Not intentionally access, transmit, copy, or create material that is illegal (such as obscenity, stolen materials, or illegal copies of copyrighted works).
   • Not use the resources to further other acts that are criminal or that violate the school’s code of conduct.
   • Not send spam, chain letters, or other mass unsolicited mailings.
   • Not buy, sell, advertise, or otherwise conduct business, unless approved as a school project.

Consequences for Violation

Violations of these rules may result in disciplinary action, including loss of the student’s privileges to use the school’s information technology resources.

Supervision and Monitoring

School and network administrators and their authorized employees monitor the use of information technology resources to help ensure that all use is secure and consistent with this policy. Administrators reserve the right to examine, use, and disclose any data found on the school’s information networks in order to further the health, safety, discipline, or security of any student or other person, or to protect property. They may also use this information in disciplinary actions and will furnish evidence of crime to law enforcement.

Allcrest Texas Academy provides equal opportunities and does not unlawfully discriminate against any person on the basis of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religious creed, color, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or disability in the educational student programs or activities that it operates, and it does not tolerate any such discrimination.

Issuing a Complaint

Complaints alleging a violation of this policy shall be made to Allcrest Texas Academy or the Equal Opportunity Officer (EOO). Any person, student, or employee who believes that he or she has suffered unlawful discrimination or harassment shall immediately report the incident(s) to his or her teacher, learning coach, or administrator.

A written filing or an oral complaint, as set forth below, starts the formal complaint procedure and must be made within sixty (60) days of the alleged discriminatory act. Allcrest Texas Academy shall be responsible for making a thorough investigation of the matter and for making recommendations for remedial or affirmative action.

All information gathered will remain confidential.

Step 1

The complainant shall present the matter in writing or orally, stating:

• The nature of the problem;
• The date, time, and location of the alleged discrimination;
• The persons involved;
• Efforts, if any, and results in solving the problem prior to filing the written complaint.

The EOO shall provide the respondent with a copy of the complaint. Within ten days of receiving the complaint, the EOO shall notify the complainant, respondent, and the immediate supervisor, in writing, of the recommendation for resolving the matter. If the complaint is resolved and no further action is requested in writing or orally within five days of receipt of the Step 1 recommendation, the matter shall be considered closed.

Step 2

The complainant may, in writing or orally to the EOO, request a conference within five days of receipt of the Step 1 recommendation. This conference shall be held within ten days after receipt of the written/oral request. The following shall attend:

• The designee;
• The complainant;
• The EOO;
• The immediate supervisor or designee;
• A person mutually agreed upon by the respondent and the EOO.

Within five days following the conference, the designee shall notify the complainant and respondent in writing, by hand delivery or certified mail, of the recommendation for resolving the matter.

Step 3

The complainant may, in writing or orally to the EOO, request a hearing before the Academy’s administration within five days after receipt of the Step 2 recommendation. After receipt of such a request, a hearing shall be scheduled at the earliest possible date. The complainant and respondent may, at their own expense, have legal representation at this hearing. Within ten days following the hearing, the EOO shall notify the complainant and respondent in writing, by hand delivery or certified mail, of the Academy’s recommendation for resolving the matter. Extension of any time limits prior to a request for hearing being filed may be granted by the EOO only for circumstances beyond the control of the complainant or the respondent. No person shall retaliate or in any way discriminate against any person for filing a complaint or participating in the investigation of a complaint. The complainant maintains the right to utilize other appropriate legal or administrative remedies available.

Terms

For purposes of this policy, the following terms are defined:

• Complaint – A problem, dispute, or disagreement regarding discrimination that cannot be resolved informally. The complaint procedure may be used by any complainant who feels aggrieved or who believes there has been a violation, misinterpretation, or inequitable application of any policy, procedure, or practice.
• Complainant – Any person filing a complaint.
• Respondent – The employee allegedly committing the discriminatory act or omission.
• EOO – The employee designated to coordinate the Academy’s efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibility for nondiscrimination.
• Day – Any calendar day excluding Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

Special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), defines the legal rights of private school students to publicly funded special education services. Specifically, it states that a student at a private institution does not have the same legal rights to special education services as a special education student in public school.

For any student at Allcrest Texas Academy with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), accommodations will be made to the best of the Academy’s ability. Copies of a student’s IEP are collected at enrollment and remain private within the Academy’s records. Public school districts receive a small amount of money each year from the federal government to fund IEPs for special education students who attend private settings. Public school districts are required to meet with the administrators of private institutions in their area to discuss what services they will provide. The amount varies from year to year. For more information, visit IDEA.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Allcrest Texas Academy takes student privacy very seriously and has developed several policies to ensure it.

RIGHT TO INSPECT AND REVIEW AND TO CONSENT TO RELEASE

Parents, legal guardians, and individuals acting as a parent or guardian in the absence of the student’s parent/guardian of students under the age of eighteen have the right to access their child’s education records and to authorize the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in education records to any third party. Students who have turned 18 years of age, or who are attending a post-secondary institution and are no longer students at Allcrest Texas Academy, are “eligible students” and have the right to authorize disclosure of that information to any third party. If a student currently enrolled in the Academy has reached 18 years of age but is still claimed as a “dependent” under the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 152, by the parents, the parents or guardian continue to have the right to inspect and review their student’s records, but they no longer have the authority to authorize release of such records.

WHEN CONSENT IS NOT NEEDED FOR THE ACADEMY TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION

A student’s education records may be disclosed by the Academy without the consent of a parent/eligible student whenever permitted or required by law, such as, but not limited to:

1. School Officials

To “School Officials” when there is a legitimate educational interest. A School Official is:

• Any administrator, certified staff member, or support staff member (including health, medical, safety, and security staff) employed by the Academy;
• A contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom the Academy has outsourced services or functions — such as, but not limited to, an attorney, auditor, cloud storage provider, consultant, expert witness, hearing officer, investigator, insurer/insurance company adjuster or any other claims representative, medical providers or consultants, or counselors/therapists — provided that the person is performing a service or function for which the Academy would otherwise use employees, is under the direct control of the Academy with respect to the use and maintenance of education records, and is subject to FERPA requirements governing the use and re-disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records;
• A person serving on a committee appointed by the administration, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee or other review committee.

A School Official has a “legitimate educational interest” when the official needs such information in order to fulfill his or her professional, contractual, or other responsibilities for the Academy.

Reasonable methods shall be in place to ensure that School Officials obtain access to only those education records in which they have legitimate educational interests. Employees who access, or allow others to access, education records in which they do not have a legitimate interest shall be subject to disciplinary action.

2. Other Schools

To officials of other public or private schools or post-secondary institutions in which a student seeks/intends to enroll, or is already enrolled, upon request of that school. Education records provided to any private or public elementary or secondary school shall include disciplinary records involving any suspension or expulsion, and may include discipline records for conduct that posed a significant risk to the safety or well-being of that student, other students, or other members of the school community.

The first official transcript and/or record is sent free of charge. Each additional copy costs $5. Requests can be made in writing from the Academy’s website.

3. Subpoenas and Court Orders

In compliance with a judicial order, or pursuant to any lawfully issued subpoena, on the condition that parents and students are notified of all such orders or subpoenas before the Academy complies with them. However, when a parent is a party to a court proceeding involving child abuse and neglect or dependency matters, and the order is issued in the context of that proceeding, additional notice to the parent by the Academy is not required. In addition, notice will not be given to parents in situations where the Academy is directed by the issuing authority not to disclose the existence or contents of the subpoena.

4. Foster Care

To an agency caseworker or other representative of a state or local child welfare agency or tribal organization who has the right to access a student’s case plan, when such agency or organization is legally responsible for the care and protection of the student.

5. Litigation Between Academy and Student/Parent

To the court in any legal action by a parent or student against the Academy, or by the Academy against a parent or student, when necessary for the Academy to defend itself or to proceed with a legal action as plaintiff.

6. Health or Safety Emergency

To appropriate parties when, in the judgment of the Academy, knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or any other person.

7. Studies

To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the Academy for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests and improving instruction, if there is a written agreement and the studies are conducted in a manner that meets the requirements of applicable law.

8. Audit or Evaluation

To certain federal and state officials when needed to audit or enforce legal conditions related to a federally or state-supported education program, or to enforce or comply with the federal legal requirements that relate to those programs.

9. Accrediting Organizations

To accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting function.

10. Parents and Students

To any “parent,” as defined by FERPA, of a student who has not reached age 18, or to the student. For students who have turned 18, disclosure may be made to a parent without the consent of the student if the student remains a “dependent” of the parent as defined under the Internal Revenue Code.

11. When Allowed or Required by State Law

To state and local officials or authorities to whom such information is specifically allowed or required to be reported pursuant to state law, where the information concerns the juvenile justice system and its ability to effectively serve the student whose records are released and, where required, written certification is provided by the officials or authorities that the information will not be disclosed to any other party except as provided under state law.

12. Audit or Evaluation of Educational Program

To permitted state and federal officials to audit or evaluate educational programs or for enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements that relate to those educational programs.

13. When Disclosure is of “Directory Information”

“Directory information” is information from a student’s education record that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. “Directory Information” MAY be, but is not required to be, disclosed by the Academy without the consent of the parent or eligible student. Allcrest Texas Academy designates the following items as “Directory Information”:

1. Student’s name
2. Photographs — including the use of student photographs in the Academy’s publications, on the Academy’s social media and website, and the release of a yearbook photo upon request by news media
3. Video/film of a student when filmed by the Academy for educational purposes or promotional use, and film by news media
4. Date and place of birth
5. Major field of study
6. Date the student enrolled/disenrolled in the Academy, enrollment status, and grade level
7. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
8. Degrees, honors, and awards received
9. The most recent school or school district attended prior to Allcrest Texas Academy
10. Class lists

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Academy does not designate any of the above items as “Directory Information” when and if the Academy determines, in its sole discretion, that the circumstances are such that disclosure of the information could pose a risk to student safety or well-being, or has the potential to be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy by the parent or student if disclosure were allowed.

“Directory Information” may, at the Academy’s discretion, be disclosed in circumstances such as, but not limited to:

• Academy publications, such as newsletters, calendars, newspapers, event programs, communications, announcements, and news releases
• Academy websites, digital publications, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
• Print, television, and broadcast media
• Honor roll and other school achievements, awards, and recognitions
• Programs/playbills showing a student’s role in a school activity or production
• Yearbooks and class photos
• Graduation programs/school programs
• Disclosure to outside organizations, such as, but not limited to, those that provide school-related products and services, such as yearbooks, class rings, etc.
• Military recruiters and institutions of higher education for 11th and 12th grade students, to the extent required by law
• Organizations that operate solely to support the Academy, such as community clubs, booster clubs, and support groups

Lists of student names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses will not be disclosed by the Academy to political candidates or elected officeholders, political parties, or any person or organization involved with a political issue or an issue related to the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question. Such information will not be disclosed to commercial entities (other than for school-related purposes), nor will it be provided to any non-profit or non-commercial organization, company, or group, other than groups that operate solely to support the Academy, or as required or permitted by law, such as to military recruiters.

“Directory Information” will not be disclosed where doing so would have the effect of disclosing non-directory information.

RIGHT TO PREVENT DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION (OPT-OUT)

Parents and eligible students have the right to opt out of the disclosure of “Directory Information,” subject to the requirements and limitations of FERPA, state law, and the procedures contained in any regulation(s) to this policy.

Opt-Out forms are effective for the school year in which they are submitted. “Directory Information” will not be disclosed prior to the return date indicated on the Opt-Out form.

Opting out of disclosure may not be used to impede routine classroom communications and interactions. For instance, opting out does not prevent the Academy from disclosing, or requiring a student to disclose, the student’s name, school email address, or electronic identifier on school grounds, in class, or at a school-sponsored activity, and it does not prevent the Academy from requiring a student to maintain and present a student ID card upon request.

The Academy may disclose “Directory Information” about students no longer enrolled at Allcrest Texas Academy without providing notice as otherwise required and without providing an additional opt-out opportunity. However, if an opt-out request was in place as of the last day of the student’s enrollment, the opt-out request will continue in effect, and the Directory Information will not be disclosed.

VERIFICATION OF IDENTITY AND RIGHT TO ACCESS RECORDS

Reasonable methods and safeguards shall be used to identify and authenticate the identity of parents, eligible students, school officials, and any other persons who request access to educational record information.

RECORD OF REQUESTS FOR ACCESS

The Academy shall maintain accurate records of requests for disclosure of information from, or access to, a student’s records as required by law.

ANNUAL NOTIFICATION OF FERPA RIGHTS

Parents and eligible students shall be notified annually, as required by law, of their rights under FERPA.

EDUCATION RECORD INFORMATION OF DECEASED STUDENTS

“Directory Information” may be disclosed by the Academy regarding a student who is deceased, unless an opt-out request was in place as of the last day of the student’s enrollment, in which case the opt-out request will continue in effect. The Academy will disclose education record information other than “Directory Information” of a deceased student only if consent is given in writing by the personal representative or other legally authorized representative of the deceased student’s estate, or if some other exception in FERPA permits or requires disclosure. If a personal representative or other legally authorized representative has not yet been appointed or is no longer functioning in that capacity, consent must be given by the student’s parent or, if the student was married at the time of death, by the deceased student’s widow/widower or by a child of the student, provided the child is age 18 or older.

CONCERNS, QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS

If you have a complaint, concern, or question about any of the rights described above, we encourage you to first contact and discuss it with Allcrest Texas Academy’s administrators. Our hope is to provide answers to whatever questions or concerns you have.

You also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Allcrest Texas Academy to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-5901