The Chillicothe R-II School District is required to inform you of certain information that you, according to The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), have the right to know. Upon your request, our district is required to provide to you in a timely manner, the following information: Whether the teacher has met state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived. Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. What baccalaureate degree major the teacher has and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification. In addition to the information that parents may request, districts must provide to each individual parent: Information on the achievement level of the parent’s child in each of the state academic assessments as required under this part; and timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified.

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The Chillicothe R-II School District designates the following items as “Directory Information:” student’s name; parent’s name; address; telephone number; date and place of birth; major field of study; participation in officially recognized sports and activities; weight and height of athletic teams; dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; most recent school attended; and photographs including photographs of regular school activities that do not disclose specific academic information about the child and/or would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. Parents or eligible students have ten (10) days after the annual public notice to view the student’s “Directory Information” and to provide notice in writing to the school district that they choose not to have this information released. Unless notified to the contrary in writing within the ten (10) school-day period, the school may disclose any of these items designated as “Directory Information” without prior written consent. Directory Information is considered a public record that must be released by the district to any person who requests it under the Missouri Sunshine Law, RSMo. 610.010-.030.

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The Chillicothe R-II School District complies with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 and the American Disabilities Act (ADA). It is the policy of the school district that no person, on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap, shall be discriminated against in employment, educational programs and activities and admissions. Inquiries or complaints concerning the Chillicothe R-II District’s compliance with the regulations implementing Title II, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 or the American Disabilities Act (ADA) may be directed to:

Superintendent’s Office, Chillicothe R-II School District, PO Box 530, Chillicothe, Missouri, 64601. Telephone 660-646-4566.

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The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) Public Law 99-159 requires all public and private schools to annually inspect for friable and non-friable asbestos and develop management plans that address asbestos hazards. The Chillicothe R-II School District conducted a complete audit of its facilities in July 2003, utilizing Mead Associates, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The results of the inspection are included in the management plan and are available for review in the administrative offices of the district. Periodic surveillance is required every six months and a re-inspection is required every three years. Any fiber release episodes and any activities involving disturbance of the ACM are also recorded in the management plan. You as a parent, are encouraged to examine the management plan that effects your child(ren). The purpose of the Federal and State regulations are to protect the health and/or well-being of all persons entering the buildings in the district for any reason. 
The person in the District trained to oversee asbestos activities and ensure compliance is Mike Thomas. As required by rule, Mike Thomas is the single contact for the public to obtain information about asbestos related activities in the district. You may reach Joe Pope at 1020 Old Highway 36 West, Chillicothe, Missouri, (660) 646-4566. 

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All public schools are required to provide a free and appropriate public education to all students with disabilities, including those attending private/parochial school, beginning on the child’s third birthday through age twenty, regardless of the child’s disability. The public school assures that to comply with the full educational opportunity goal, services for students three through age twenty-one will be fully implemented by 1999. Disabilities include: speech disorders (voice, fluency, or articulation), language disorders, visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically/other health impaired, multiple disabilities, deaf/blind, autism, early childhood special education, and traumatic brain injury.

The public school assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri’s First Step Program.

All public schools are required to provide parents the right to inspect and review personally identifiable information collected and used or maintained by the district relating to their children. Parents have the right to request amendment of these records if they feel the information is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their children. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the district to meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). You may contact your local district, if you wish to review the requirements provided in FERPA.

The public school has developed a Local Compliance Plan for implementation of Special Education and this plan is available for public review during regular school hours on days school is in session in the office of the Superintendent of Schools. The Local Compliance Plan is a written narrative which describes the district’s plan for compliance with the requirements for identifying and serving all students with disabilities. Included in this plan are the policies and procedures which the district must follow regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention, and destruction of personally identifiable information. The plan also describes the assurance that services are provided in compliance with the requirement of 34 CFR 76.301 of the General Education Provision Act.

Public schools in the State of Missouri are required to conduct an annual census of all children with disabilities from birth through age twenty who reside in the district or whose parent/legal guardian resides in the district. This census is compiled as of May 1 of each year. This information is treated as confidential and submitted to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Information to be collected includes: name of each child, parent/legal guardian’s name/address; birth date and age of each child; and each child’s disability or suspected disability. If you have a child with a disability who is not attending the public school, Please contact Pam Fetter, Director of Special Services, Chillicothe R-II Schools, 1020 Old Highway 36 West, Chillicothe, Mo. 64601. (Phone: 660-646-4566)

This notice can be provided in languages such as Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, and Vietnamese and/or other language as may be necessary.

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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over eighteen years of age certain rights with respect to educational records. These rights are:
The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the 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.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education record that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school official, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. 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 the amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes the 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 district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility.

The right to file a complaint with the US 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 are:

Family Policy Compliance Officer
US Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

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This complaint resolution procedure applies to all programs administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA).

A complaint is a formal allegation that a specific federal or state law or regulation has been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted by the school district personnel or by the Department of Education personnel.

Any parent or guardian, surrogate parent, teacher, administrator, school board member, or other person directly involved with an activity, program, or project operated under the general supervision of the Department may file a complaint. Such a complaint must be in writing and signed; it will provide specific details of the situation and indicate the law or regulation that is allegedly being violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted.

The following steps are proper procedures to be followed by persons with questions or complaints regarding the operation of the Chillicothe R-II School District:

• Complaints on behalf of individual students should be first addressed to the teacher.
• Unsettled matters from (1) above, or problems and questions concerning individual schools, should be directed to the principal of the school.
• Unsettled matters from (2) above, or problems and questions concerning the school district, should be directed to the superintendent.
• If the matter cannot be settled satisfactorily, it should be brought to the Board of Education. Questions and comments submitted to the secretary of the Board in letter form will be brought to the attention of the entire Board at a regularly scheduled or called meeting. If necessary, a Board hearing will be scheduled to resolve the complaint. However, the decision of the Board will be final except in the case of complaints concerning the administration of Federal programs. In that case the complainant may go to the appropriate section of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and from there on to the United States Secretary of Education.

Anyone wishing more information about this procedure or how complaints are resolved my contact the Chillicothe R-II School District Office 1020 Old Highway 36 West, Chillicothe, Missouri, 64601. (660) 646-4566.