Answer: You should release the records. Since the student has been identified as McKinney-Vento eligible (which appears to be an appropriate identification based on the information you provided), you are obligated to eliminate barriers to enrollment and transfer records to the enrolling school. In addition, under FERPA, parental consent is not required to release records to a school to which a student has transferred.
A student left our district and has enrolled in school near her grandmother’s home, where she is staying. She has been identified as McKinney-Vento eligible. Her mother wants her back at our school. Our principal is concerned that the mother might sue us if we release the records to the new school.
Jan 23, 2018 | Q and A