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Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris Belmont outlines limited edits to student‑records privacy policy; committee agrees wording change
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Summary
The Policy Review Committee discussed minor edits to Policy 515 (student records privacy) to reflect health‑related guidance and agreed to a redline change — replacing 'and' with 'including' after the federal citation — pending confirmation from the Minnesota School Boards Association. The item is scheduled for first reading May 14.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris Belmont told the ISD 191 Policy Review Committee that proposed changes to Policy 515 (protection and privacy of student records) were narrow and mainly intended to reflect recent guidance from Minnesota health authorities.
"The changes are fairly minimal in scope," Dr. Belmont said, adding they "reflect specific guidance from the Minnesota Health and Human Services as it relates to medical emergencies and some immunization." He said the edits also clarify parental roles and how health professionals may act in medical situations.
Director Michelson pressed for clarity on the draft wording, asking whether the phrase "in connection with an emergency" is intended to apply only to health emergencies or to any kind of emergency. "I'm just kind of wondering, is this any kind of emergency?" he asked, noting that nearby language explicitly references epidemiologic investigations and immunizations and that the change could broaden disclosure conditions.
Dr. Belmont said the immediate context for the edits is health‑related situations — for example, when a homeschooled student participating in an extracurricular activity has a medical emergency and first responders need access to information — but he agreed to confirm the precise scope with the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA).
Committee members proposed a specific redline: replace the conjunction "and" with the word "including" after the federal citation referenced in the policy language (the committee discussed the Code of Federal Regulations citation near that paragraph). Members agreed to make that edit and bring the item forward as a first reading at the board's May 14 meeting pending MSBA confirmation.
The committee did not take a formal recorded vote; members voiced agreement during the discussion and instructed staff to check the model language with MSBA and apply the redline change for the first reading.
The policy will return to the full board as a first reading on May 14, with staff notes reflecting any MSBA guidance the committee receives in the interim.
