The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students who are 18 years of age or older (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.  These rights are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day the School receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal, or appropriate school offi­cial, a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Parents or eligible students who wish to ask the School to amend a record should write the school principal, or appropriate school official, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed.  If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.  Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to privacy of personally identifiable information in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the school as an ad­ministrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel) or a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the school has outsourced services or functions it would otherwise use its own employees to perform (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or a parent, student, or other volunteer assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the School 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

The Family Educational Rights and privacy Act (FERPA) requires that the Knoxville School District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records.  However, the Knoxville School District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures.  The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Knoxville School District to include this type of information in certain school publications (yearbook, honor roll, commencement programs, etc.).

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent.  In addition, federal laws require local education agencies to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses, and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the district that they do not want their students’ information disclosed without their prior written consent. 

If you do not want the Knoxville School District to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the District, in writing, by September 15 of the current school year.  The Knoxville School District has designated the following information as directory information:  the student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, grade level, enrollment status, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, photograph and other likeness, and other similar information.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against persons with a disability in any program receiving federal financial assistance.  In order to fulfill obligations under Section 504, the Knoxville Community School District (KCSD) has the responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and students.  No discrimination against any person with a disability should knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices of the school system.

The KCSD has the responsibilities under Section 504, which include the obligations to identify, evaluate and, if the student is determined to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate educational services.

If the parent or guardian disagrees with the determination made by the professional staff of the school district, he/she has a right to a hearing with an impartial hearing officer.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) also specifies rights related to educational records.  This Act gives the parent or guardian the right to:  1) inspect and review his/her child’s educational records; 2) make copies of these records; 3) receive a list of the individuals having access to those records; 4) ask for an explanation of any item in the records; 5) ask for an amendment to any report on the grounds that it is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the child’s rights; and 6) a hearing on the issue if the school refuses to make the amendment.

If there are questions, please contact the building administrator, or Knoxville Community School District at 842-6551.

Harassment and/or bullying of students and/or employees of the Knoxville School District will not be tolerated. The Knoxville School District includes school district facilities, premises, and non-school property if the employee or student is at any school-sponsored, school-approved, or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the control of the school district or where the employee is engaged in school business.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to racial, religious, national origin, age, disability, and sexual harassment. Harassment by board members, administrators, employees, parents, students, vendors, and others doing business with the school district is prohibited.

Employees and/or students who believe they have suffered harassment shall report such matters to the building principal or counselor who will refer the complaint(s) to the district’s investigative officers: Brett Sandy, High School Assistant Principal - (641) 842-2173 or Angela Nelson, Student Services Coordinator - (641) 842-2173

View Our Anti-Bullying Harassment Policy

It is the policy of KCSD that employees not commit acts of physical or sexual abuse, including inappropriate and intentional sexual behavior toward students. Any school employee who commits such acts is subject to disciplinary sanctions. Allegations of abuse of students by school employees should be brought to the attention of Level 1 Investigators for the district, Linda Russell, 641-842-6551.

The Knoxville Community School District and Board will not discriminate in educational programs on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, marital status, socioeconomic status or genetic information. The Board and the District will not discriminate in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, gender, gender orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, or disability. Further, the District and the Board affirm the right of all students and staff to be treated with respect and to be protected from intimidation, discrimination, physical harm, and harassment.

The Board and the District require all persons, agencies, vendors, contractors, and other persons and organizations doing business with or performing services for the District to subscribe to all applicable federal and state laws, executive orders, rules and regulations pertaining to contract compliance and equal opportunity.

Inquiries or grievances related to this policy may be directed to the District Equity Coordinator, students who feel they have been discriminated against are encouraged to report it to the school district  Title IX, any person having inquiries concerning Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the District’s compliance with this federal non-discrimination law can contact Linda Russell - Director of Human Resources - at 418 S Park Lane Dr, Knoxville, IA 50138, or (641)842-6551, or Email Linda Russell. This individual has been designated by the District to coordinate the District’s efforts to comply with federal and/or state non-discrimination laws. Inquiries may also be directed to the Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, (800)457-4416; to the Office for Civil Rights Chicago Office, United States Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago, Illinois, 60661, (312)730-1560; or to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chicago Office, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois, 60661, (800)669-4000. Inquiries may also be directed to the Director, Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.

The Knoxville Community School District will take steps as are necessary to ensure that no qualified handicapped person is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination because of inaccessibility of educational programs and activities operated by the Knoxville Community School District.  To obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to handicapped persons, interested persons should contact Cassi Pearson, Superintendent; Knoxville Community School District, 418 S Park Lane Dr., Knoxville, IA  50138, (641) 842-6551.

With regard to the requirement of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, a complete set of management plans is available for review in the district’s administrative office at 418 S Park Lane Dr., Knoxville, Iowa.

Definition of Homeless Child or Youth:

1. A child or youth who is sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; is living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; is living in an emergency or transitional shelter; is abandoned in a hospital; or is awaiting foster care placement;

2. A child or youth who has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

3. A child or youth who is living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting; or

4. A migratory child or youth who qualifies as homeless because the child or youth is living in circumstances described in paragraphs “1” through “3” above. Angela Nelson, Student Services Coordinator, is the district’s liaison for homeless children and youth.  She can be reached at (641) 842-2173.

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232h, requires the Knoxville School District to notify you and obtain consent or allow you to opt your child out of participating in certain school activities. These activities include a student survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following eight areas (“protected information surveys”):

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;

2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;

3. Sex behavior or attitudes;

4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;

6. Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;

7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or

8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

The Knoxville School District is not planning to schedule activities requiring parental notice and consent or opt out for the coming school year.  If activities are scheduled after the school year starts, the Knoxville School District will provide parents, within a reasonable period of time prior to the administration of the surveys and activities, notification of the surveys and activities and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out, as well as an opportunity to review the surveys.

Parents/Guardians in the Knoxville Community School District have the right to learn about the following qualifications of their child’s teacher:  state licensure requirements for the grade level and content areas taught, the current licensing status of your child’s teacher, and baccalaureate/graduate certification/degree.  You may also request the qualifications of an instructional paraprofessional who serves your student in a Title I program or if your school operates a school wide Title I program.

Parents/Guardians may request this information from the Office of the Superintendent by calling 641-842-6551, or by sending a letter of request to Office of the Superintendent, Knoxville Schools, 418 S Park Lane Dr., Knoxville, IA  50138.

The Knoxville Community School District ensures that parents will be notified in writing if their child has been assigned, or has been taught by, a teacher for four or more consecutive weeks who is not considered highly qualified.

“State law forbids school employees from using corporal punishment against any student.  Certain actions by school employees are not considered corporal punishment.  Additionally, school employees may use “reasonable and necessary force, not designed or intended to cause pain” to prevent harm to persons or property.

State law also places limits on school employee’s authority to restrain or confine and detain students.  The law limits why, how, where, and for how long a school employee may restrain or confine and detain a child.  If a child is restrained or confined and detained, the school must keep documentation and must provide certain types of notice to the child’s parent.

If you have questions about this state law, please contact your school.  The complete text of the law and additional information is available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website at Iowa Department of Education

Open Enrollment is the process by which a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa district may enroll their child(ren) into another Iowa school district under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code 282.18 and Iowa Administrative Code 281-17

View the Iowa Department of Education Open Enrollment Handbook for complete information.

If you need forms, you may call the District office at 842-6551, or they are available at the Iowa Department of Education’s website

What is Title IX?
In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Knoxville Community School District prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment as defined by the regulations implementing Title IX (34 C.F.R. § 106.30), against any individual participating in any education program or activity of the District. This prohibition on discrimination applies to students, employees, and applicants for employment. The Board authorizes the Superintendent to adopt procedures for any individual to report sex discrimination or sexual harassment, and for the investigation and resolution of such complaints.

Definitions: 
Sexual Harassment means unwelcome behavior or conduct (physical, verbal, written, electronic) that is directed at someone because of that person's sex or gender, and that meets any of the following definitions;
1. "Quid Pro Quo" Harassment. A District employee explicitly or implicitly conditions the provision of an aid, benefit, or service of the District on an individual's participation in unwelcome sexual conduct; OR
2. Hostile Educational/Work Environment. Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the District's education program or activity; OR
3. Sexual Assault. An offense that meets the definition any one of the following offenses:
     *Rape: the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus, with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person without consent of the victim;
     *Fondling: the touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification without consent of the victim;
     *Incest: sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law; or
     *Statutroy rape: sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent; OR
4. Stalking:
     *Purposefully engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person ("target") that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily injury to, or the death of, the target or a member of the target's immediate family;
     *When the person ("stalker") knows or should know that the target will be placed in reasonable fear of bodily injury to, or the death of, the target or a member of the target's immediate family by the course of conduct; and
     *The stalker's course of conduct induces fear in the target of bodily injury to, or the death of, the target or a member of the target's immediate family; OR
5. Dating Violence: violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of:
     *The length of the relationship.
     *The type of relationship.
     *The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship;
OR
6. Domestic Violence: any felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed:
     *By a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim;
     *By a person with whom the victim shares a child in common;
     *By a person who is cohabiting with, or has cohabited with, the victim as a spouse or intimate partner;
     *By a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the State of Iowa; or
     *By any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person's acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the State of Iowa.

How to Address Concerns:  Any individual with questions about the District’s Title IX policy and procedures, or who would like to make a report or file a formal complaint of sex discrimination or sexual harassment may contact the District’s designated Title IX Coordinator:  Linda Russell, Director of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator; Knoxville Community School District; 418 S Park Lane Dr., Knoxville, IA 50138; Ph: 641-842-6551; Email: linda.russell@kcsd.k12.ia .us. 
In addition, students may contact their building principal or school counselor.
More Information:
The following documents contain detailed training provided to those with responsibilities as the Title IX Coordinator, Investigator, Decision Makers, Appeal Decision Makers.  As well as training information related to supportive measures and informal resolution.:

• Ahlers Training - Title IX Overview 062420
• Ahlers Training - New Title IX Rules - Title IX Coordinators 062420
• Ahlers Training - New Title IX Regulations - Investigator Training 062420
• Ahlers Training - New Title IX Regulations - K-12 Decision Makers 062420
• Ahlers Training - New Title IX Rules - K-12 Supportive Measures and Informal Resolution 062420
• KCSD Title IX Procedures Manual