(a) A parent or any person specifically designated as a representative by a parent and, if the child is in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services shall have the right to inspect and copy all school student permanent and temporary records of that child. A student shall have the right to inspect and copy his or her school student permanent record. No person who is prohibited by an order of protection from inspecting or obtaining school records of a student pursuant to the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, as now or hereafter amended, shall have any right of access to, or inspection of, the school records of that student. If a school's principal or person with like responsibilities or his designee has knowledge of such order of protection, the school shall prohibit access or inspection of the student's school records by such person.(b) Whenever access to any person is granted pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section, at the option of that person or the school, a qualified professional, who may be a psychologist, counsellor or other advisor, and who may be an employee of the school or employed by the parent or the Department, may be present to interpret the information contained in the student temporary record. If the school requires that a professional be present, the school shall secure and bear any cost of the presence of the professional. If the parent or the Department so requests, the school shall secure and bear any cost of the presence of a professional employed by the school.(c) A parent's or student's or, if applicable, the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services' request to inspect and copy records, or to allow a specifically designated representative to inspect and copy records, must be granted within a reasonable time, and in no case later than 10 business days after the date of receipt of such request by the official records custodian.(c-5) The time for response under this Section may be extended by the school district by not more than 5 business days from the original due date for any of the following reasons:(1) the requested records are stored in whole or in part at other locations than the office having charge of the requested records;(2) the request requires the collection of a substantial number of specified records;(3) the request is couched in categorical terms and requires an extensive search for the records responsive to it;(4) the requested records have not been located in the course of routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them;(5) the request for records cannot be complied with by the school district within the time limits prescribed by subsection (c) of this Section without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the school district; or(6) there is a need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or school district or among 2 or more components of a public body or school district having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request. The person making a request and the school district may agree in writing to extend the time for compliance for a period to be determined by the parties. If the requester and the school district agree to extend the period for compliance, a failure by the school district to comply with any previous deadlines shall not be treated as a denial of the request for the records.
(d) The school may charge its reasonable costs for the copying of school student records, not to exceed the amounts fixed in schedules adopted by the State Board, to any person permitted to copy such records, except that no parent or student shall be denied a copy of school student records as permitted under this Section 5 for inability to bear the cost of such copying.(e) Nothing contained in this Section 5 shall make available to a parent or student or, if applicable, the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services confidential letters and statements of recommendation furnished in connection with applications for employment to a post-secondary educational institution or the receipt of an honor or honorary recognition, provided such letters and statements are not used for purposes other than those for which they were specifically intended, and (1) were placed in a school student record prior to January 1, 1975; or(2) the student has waived access thereto after being advised of his right to obtain upon request the names of all such persons making such confidential recommendations. (f) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to impair or limit the confidentiality of:(1) Communications otherwise protected by law as privileged or confidential, including but not limited to, information communicated in confidence to a physician, psychologist or other psychotherapist, school social worker, school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker, school counselor, or school psychologist intern who works under the direct supervision of a school social worker, school counselor, or school psychologist; or(2) Information which is communicated by a student or parent in confidence to school personnel; or(3) Information which is communicated by a student, parent, or guardian to a law enforcement professional working in the school, except as provided by court order.(g) No school employee shall be subjected to adverse employment action, the threat of adverse employment action, or any manner of discrimination because the employee is acting or has acted to protect communications as privileged or confidential pursuant to applicable provisions of State or federal law or rule or regulation.Amended by P.A. 102-0199,§ 10, eff. 7/1/2022.Amended by P.A. 100-0532,§ 5, eff. 9/22/2017.Amended by P.A. 096-0628,§ 5, eff. 1/1/2010. P.A. 90-590, eff. 1-1-00.