Policies

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Stanly Community College, with certain exceptions, obtain a student's written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records.

Additionally, Leon’s Law, contained within North Carolina Session Law 2025-46, requires that Stanly Community College share the education records of minor dependent students if requested with:

• Their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), without the student’s consent, as long as the parent claims the student as a dependent on their federal tax return.
• High school counselors and administrators, if the student is dually enrolled in a K-12 institution and a community college.

Stanly Community College is also required to obtain an acknowledgment form from minor students before registering for courses that they are aware of Leon’s Law.

Leon’s Law grants access to records but does not give parents the right to make academic decisions for the student.

Stanly Community College may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless the student has advised the College to the contrary in accordance with SCC procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow Stanly Community College to include directory type of information from the student's education records in certain college publications. Examples of such publications include honor roll or other recognition lists and graduation programs.

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 student's prior written consent. Outside organizations include but are not limited to companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. In addition, the Solomon Amendment requires Stanly Community College to provide military recruiters, upon request, with directory information categories-names, addresses, telephone listings, age or date of birth, level of education, major-unless students have advised the College that they do not want their information disclosed without prior written consent. A student who does not want Stanly Community College to disclose directory information from education records without his or her prior written consent must notify the College by completing a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form each semester. The form may be obtained from the Student Records Department. At least ten days should be allowed for processing a request. Stanly Community College has designated the following information as directory information:

• student's first and last name
• student’s display name in Canvas
• address
• phone number
• SCC email address
• age
• academic program
• enrollment status (full-time or part-time)
• terms of attendance
• degrees, honors, and awards received

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are:

1. The student’s right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Stanly Community College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Dean of Students a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Dean of Students will arrange access and notify the 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 student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should contact the Dean of Students to identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the Dean of Students decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the Dean will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures with the Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Success will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.  Note: SCC only has the ability to rectify inaccurate or misleading information that it has purview over.  SCC cannot rectify or change another institution’s official records or documents.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. There are a number of exceptions to FERPA’s prohibition against non-consensual disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.  Under these exceptions, schools are permitted to disclose personally identifiable information from education records without consent, though they are not required to do so. Exceptions are as follows:
4. To school officials that have a legitimate educational interest (definition of school official provided in annual notification).
5. To another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll.
6. When disclosure is in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary for such purposes as to determine the conditions for the aid and/or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
7. To the parents of a dependent student as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code.
8. To appropriate parties, including parents of an eligible student, in connection with a health or safety emergency.
9. To the parents of a student at a post-secondary institution regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State or local law, or of any rule or policy of the institution, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
10. Directory information that could include information such as student’s name, address, e-mail address, telephone listing, photograph, date and place of birth, 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, grade level or year and enrollment status.
11. Under certain conditions:
    • To authorized representatives of the Comptroller General of United States, the Attorney General of the United States, the U.S. Secretary of Education and State and local educational authorities for audit or evaluation of Federal or State supported educational programs or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs
    • To organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the school making the disclosure for the purposes of administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs or improving instruction
    • To comply with judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena
    • To the victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense concerning the final results of a disciplinary hearing with respect to the alleged crime
    • To any third party the final results of a disciplinary proceeding related to a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense if the student who is the alleged perpetrator is found to have violated the school’s rules or policies.
12. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Stanly Community College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202-4605

 Complaints, Concerns, or Suggestions

Any student who has reason to believe that the College is not complying with the Act or this policy should inform the Dean of Students in writing. The Dean of Students will review all such allegations and respond back to the allegation within five working days of receipt.

Type, Location, and Custodian of Student Records

Questions regarding individual student records should be directed to the appropriate location:

• Academic Records: Office of the Dean of Students, Patterson Building
• Financial Aid: Office of the Director of Student Access and Financial Aid, Patterson Building
• Academic Progress: Office of the assigned Success Coach

Leon’s Law

1. Acknowledgement: Before being registered for a course, minor students must acknowledge that Leon’s Law requires Stanly Community College to share their educational records if requested without their consent to their parent(s) or guardian(s) who claim the student as a dependent on their federal tax return and with high school counselors or administrators, if the minor student is dual enrolled in a K-12 institution and a community college.
2. Curriculum Students: Curriculum students who are minors will be required to acknowledge Leon’s Law on the CFNC Career and College Promise application, the CFNC Early College application, or the general CFNC application for Stanly Community College. Minor curriculum students may also acknowledge Leon’s Law using the Leon’s Law Acknowledgement form and submitting it to the Registrar.
3. Career and College Readiness (CCR) Students: CCR students who are minors will be required to acknowledge Leon’s Law using the Leon’s Law Acknowledgement Form before they are registered for an Adult High School or High School Equivalency course. A copy of the signed Leon’s Law Acknowledgement form will be kept in the student’s file in CCR.
4. Continuing Education Students: Continuing education students who are minors must acknowledge Leon’s Law in one of the following ways before being registered for a course:
   • Completing the Leon’s Law Acknowledgment Form and submitting it to the Registrar.
   • Digitally acknowledging Leon’s Law in the one of the following ways:
     • During the Continuing Education Instant Enrollment process.
     • When adding themselves to a Continuing Education wait list (e.g., IT Academy)
     • When completing the CEAPP portal (e.g., public safety courses)
5. Parent Certification of Dependency: Parent(s) or guardian(s) requesting access to the records of minor students must complete the Parent Certification Form and provide a copy of the most recent year’s federal tax return, which must indicate that the minor student was a dependent as defined in 34 C.F.R. § 99.3.
6. Parent Certification Forms and a copy of the most recent year’s federal tax return must be presented in person to the Dean of Students.
7. Once approved, a notation will be made in the student’s record, and the copy of the federal tax form returned to the parent/guardian.
8. Parent Certification Forms expire each April 15 and must be presented again along with the most recent year’s federal tax return.
9. Implementation: Faculty or staff receiving a request for educational records of a minor student will contact the Director of Dual Enrollment Programs to verify that the appropriate documentation has been provided to Stanly Community College before any educational records are released. Faculty and staff should not provide educational records directly to the parent(s) or guardian(s) but will provide that information to the Director of Dual Enrollment or his/her designee, who will serve as a liaison between the faculty or staff member and the parent(s) or guardian(s).

Revisions: 02/20/2014, 10/19/2023 (policy); 12/19/2013, 02/13/2017, 8/16/2023, 11/27/2023. 03/17/2025 (procedures)

References:

SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, Standard 12.3 (Student rights)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99)

NC Session Law 2025-46