GCS maintains official records and data related to students as required by law. GCS follows all applicable state and federal laws regarding the confidentiality and safeguarding of student information and to allow access to student records as appropriate for educational and other designated purposes.  

For more details, see Administrative Regulation 4700-R Student Records. 

The Guilford County Board of Education has designated the following items as directory information. Directory information may be disclosed upon request unless the parent/guardian has informed the child’s school in writing that no directory information should be disclosed. 

• Student's name 

• Major course of study 

• Date and place of birth 

• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports 

• Weight and height of members of athletic teams 

• Dates of attendance (date of enrollment through date of withdrawal or graduation 

• Degrees and awards received 

• Date of graduation 

• Most recent previous educational agency or institution attended 

The Guilford County Board of Education does not designate a student's home address, telephone number, e-mail address or parents' names as directory information. 

Parents/guardians or eligible students may refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the categories of personally identifiable information as directory information. The parent/guardian or eligible student must inform the Guilford County School District in writing within thirty days of the opening of school each year that such personally identifiable information is not to be designated as directory information and should not be released without their prior consent. If a parent/guardian or eligible student waits until after this period has elapsed, the Guilford County Schools will honor such requests for future disclosures.

Click here for the Directory Information Opt-Out Form.

Time limits for challenges to records can be waived or extended by mutual consent. 

Pursuant to N.C.G.S. 115C-402, a parent/guardian or student age 16 or older may submit a request to have records of long-term suspensions removed from their record if all the following criteria are met: 

• The student has either graduated from high school or has not been expelled or suspended again during the two-year period beginning on the date of the student’s return to school after the suspension or expulsion. 

• The Superintendent’s designee determines the record of the long-term suspension or expulsion is no longer needed to maintain a safe and orderly school environment. 

• The Superintendent’s designee determines the record of the long-term suspension or expulsion is no longer needed to adequately serve the student. 

Click here to access the form to request an expungement. The Superintendent’s designee will provide a decision in writing within 10 school days of a request. The district may expunge any record of a long-term suspension that meets the criteria above at its discretion. 

You must update the school immediately if there are any legal agreements or court orders documenting changes to custody arrangements or guardianship of your child. Please provide a copy of custody agreements, legal guardianships, temporary protective orders or other documents that alter the persons or the rights of the persons who have physical custody and/or rights to access your child and their records.  

Unless the school has a court order or legal agreement on file explicitly indicating otherwise, legal parents/guardians of a student have the authority to pick them up, to designate emergency contacts, to access their records, and to make decisions about their health, education and welfare. 

School officials will follow the child’s official school records when determining who a student or their information may be released to. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to resolve any disputes in an appropriate manner outside the school setting. 

Federal law requires that the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provide military recruiters with a list of high school students’ names, addresses and telephone listings after the 30th day of school. These are to be used for recruiting purposes and for informing young people of scholarship opportunities. Parents/guardians and students have the option of requesting that the student’s name, address and telephone number not be shared with military recruiters. Any requests received after the 30th day of school will be honored for future disclosures. 

Click here for the Military Recruitment Opt-Out Form.  

At various times during the school year, school representatives, Guilford County Schools (GCS), partners/vendors of GCS and a variety of media outlets request permission to film, video tape and photograph our schools. They subsequently publish, broadcast or use these materials, which often include images and depictions of students, as well as student work products. 

If you wish to opt out of allowing your child’s likeness or work products to be used/featured by your school, GCS/its partners or electronic or social media, please inform the school in writing by the 30th day of school. Any requests received after the 30th day of school will be honored for future disclosures. 

Click here for the Photo Sharing Opt-Out Form.