Public Notices

Admission of Resident Students

Children who live with a parent or legal guardian who physically resides and whose domicile is within the boundaries of the School District of Clayton may enroll in the District’s schools without charge. A family’s domicile is defined as its primary, fixed and permanent residence for legal purposes. To enroll a child as a resident student, families must provide at least two documents to prove their domicile is within the District. 

Proof of residency documents must include one of the following:

• Property deed in your name or recent mortgage statement
• Current lease/rental agreement (signed by landlord and tenant)

In addition, we will need one of the following:

• Real estate tax receipt
• Current gas or electric utility bill (name and address must be included)
• Occupancy permit which lists all the occupants of the residence (when applicable)

Regardless of the documents that may be available, simply owning or renting property within District boundaries does not establish residency; the primary criterion is where the family actually lives. The District has the right to request additional proofs at any time or to employ other means to verify residency. Under Missouri law, misrepresenting residency is a misdemeanor. If a family’s residency status changes or is found to be inaccurately represented, the District may act to recover the cost of services provided.

Additional ways to access the District’s schools include the tax credit program, placements for children of employees, and the personal tuition program. The voluntary transfer program is no longer accepting new students. 

Exceptions

The residency provisions of this policy are not applicable to voluntary transfer students. In addition, the residency provisions do not apply to homeless students, unaccompanied youth, students with only one parent living, wards of the state, students placed in a residential care facility due to mental illness or developmental disability, students placed in a residential facility by a juvenile court or students attending regional or cooperative alternative education programs providing that the student lives within the District and is unable to pay tuition. Non-resident children of full-time School District of Clayton employees may attend District schools without payment of tuition. These exemptions are expressly established by state law.

Students of Non-resident Teachers and Regular Employees

Non-resident students of full-time District teachers or full-time District employees may be permitted to attend school without payment of tuition. Such students will be considered to be “resident” students for purposes of state aid. MSHSAA regulations limit participation of non-resident high school students in extracurricular activities. 

Pupil Rights under FERPA for Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. These rights are:

(1) 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 school principal [or 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.

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

(3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes 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 school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the school 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 or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:  Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-8520.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

PPRA affords parents and students who are 18 or emancipated minors (“eligible students”) certain rights regarding the conducting of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams. These include the right to:

Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey in whole or in part is a program of the U.S. Department of Education (E.D.)-

• Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
• Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
• Sex behavior or attitudes;
• Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
• Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
• Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors or ministers;
• Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or parents; or
• Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of –

• Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;
• Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision or scoliosis screenings or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
• Activities involving collection, disclosure or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Inspect, upon request and before administration or use –

• Protected information surveys of students;
• Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales or other distribution purposes; and
• Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

The School District of Clayton has developed policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected surveys and the collection, disclosure or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes. The School District of Clayton will directly notify parents and eligible students of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. The District will also directly notify parents and eligible students, such as through U.S. Mail or email, at least annually at the start of each school year of the specific or approximate dates of the following activities and provide an opportunity to opt a student out of participating in:

• Collection, disclosure or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution.
• Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by E.D.
• Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Parents/eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with the Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-8520. Questions or requests may be addressed to a Student Services representative at 314.854.6023, #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, MO 63105.

The Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 provides parents the right to inspect and review their child’s educational records. This right is also available to divorced or separated parents unless this right has been restricted by court order. Students who are 18 years of age or older and students attending post-secondary institutions have access to their records and may be responsible for consent. However, the consent rights of students with disabilities may be curtailed or denied depending on the type and severity of the disability.

Access to school records is generally only permitted when consent is given by the parents or by an eligible student (18 years of age or older). Exceptions to the consent requirements do exist. 

Educators with legitimate educational interests and certain other organizations, as outlined in the law, may have access to a child’s record without obtaining consent.

The District has determined that the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC) and its officers, employees and agents are school officials with legitimate educational interests because they act for and on behalf of the District with respect to transfer students and the transfer program, and because they seek to advance the interests of both. A transfer student’s attendance records and other educational records relevant to the student’s participation in the program or the program itself may accordingly be disclosed to VICC without obtaining written consent from the parent/guardian or eligible student.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that the School District of Clayton, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records. However, the District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the District to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications. Examples of such publications include: 

• District publications, websites, mobile apps or social media platforms
• Student work, including art, research projects, student writing and other assignments
• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production; 
• The annual yearbook; 
• Honor roll or other recognition lists; 
• Graduation programs; and 
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. 

The School District of Clayton has designated the following information as directory information:  Student’s name; date of birth; parents’ names; grade level; enrollment status (e.g., full-time or part-time); student identification number; user identification or other unique personal identifier used by the student for the purposes of accessing or communicating in electronic systems as long as that information alone cannot be used to access protected educational records; participation in district-sponsored or district-recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; athletic performance data; dates of attendance; degrees, honors and awards received; artwork or course work displayed by the district; schools or school districts previously attended; and photographs, videotapes, digital images and recorded sound unless such records would be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy.

The District has designated the following information as limited directory information:  The student’s address, telephone number and email address and the parents’ addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses.

“Limited directory information,” along with a student’s name and parents’ names, can be disclosed to the following individuals or groups without a parent’s prior written consent:  parent groups or booster clubs that are recognized by the Board of Education and are created solely to work with the District, its staff, students and parents and to raise funds for District activities; parents of other students enrolled in the same school as the student whose information is released; students enrolled in the same school as the student whose information is released; governmental entities including, but not limited to, law enforcement, the juvenile office and the Children’s Division (CD) of the Department of Social Services.

The School District of Clayton is committed to providing a working and learning environment free from intimidating, hostile or offensive behavior; thus, sexual harassment is strictly prohibited in the District. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature by anyone—employees, students or others. This definition includes, but is not limited to, both overt and subtle types of harassment such as uninvited letters, telephone calls, looks, gestures, touching, teasing, jokes, remarks and questions of a sexual nature. Further prohibited is any uninvited pressure for dates, explicit or implicit suggestion of sexual favors as a condition of employment or academic status or attempted or actual sexual assault. The Sexual Harassment of Students Policy is further detailed in Board Policy AC - Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation.

Administrative personnel have the direct responsibility of setting the expectations that sexual harassment does not occur. Those who witness or who are the victims of sexual harassment shall immediately notify the proper authority. For students, that authority is the teacher of the class where it occurred or the principal. For employees and others, the authority is their immediate supervisor. If the offender is that person, the next level administrator is informed.

The teacher, supervisor or administrator receiving such a complaint shall discreetly investigate the allegation, including an interview with the accused person, and transmit a full, written report to the superintendent as soon as possible. Persons who are the accused in a complaint shall not supervise or conduct such an investigation. The superintendent shall conduct further investigation of the incident as necessary and, if substantiated, shall take disciplinary action up to and including dismissal/expulsion of the offender.

Those who report harassment shall be free of any retaliation. Employees or students who believe their complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved may utilize the grievance procedure outlined in Policy AC - Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation.

Publications disseminated to employees or students will inform them of this policy.

Sexual Harassment of Staff Policy

The School District of Clayton Board of Education is committed to maintaining a workplace and educational environment that is free from discrimination and harassment in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs, services, activities and facilities. In accordance with law, the District strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, students or others on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. The School District of Clayton is an equal opportunity employer.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination on the basis of sex. Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct that occurs when:

benefits or decisions are implicitly or explicitly conditioned upon submission to, or punishment is applied for refusing to comply with, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or conduct of a sexual nature; or
the school or work environment becomes permeated with intimidation, ridicule or insult that is based on sex or is sexual in nature and that is sufficiently severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of participation in the District’s programs and activities or the conditions of employment. Sexual harassment may occur between members of the same or opposite sex.
Behavior that is not unlawful or does not rise to the level of illegal discrimination, harassment or retaliation might still be unacceptable for the workplace or the educational environment. Demeaning or otherwise harmful actions are prohibited, particularly if directed at personal characteristics including, but not limited to, socioeconomic level, sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Additional information prohibiting discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace and educational environment is detailed in Board Policy AC.

Sexual Harassment Under Title IX

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

It is the policy of the School District of Clayton to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from discrimination on the basis of sex in the educational programs, activities, and vocational opportunities offered by the District. The provisions of Title IX extend not only to students with regard to educational opportunities and freedom from harassment, but also to employees with regard to employment opportunities and freedom from harassment, and to individuals with whom the District does business.

It is a violation for any employee of the School District to harass another staff member or student through conduct or communication of a sexual nature. It is also a violation of this policy for students to harass other students through conduct or communication of a sexual nature. It is a violation of this policy for any person who is not an employee or student of the District to harass a staff member or student of the District through conduct or comments of a sexual nature while such employee is engaged in the performance of duties for the District or while such student is under District supervision. Sexual harassment includes sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking, as unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex.

Any person who alleges sexual harassment by a district employee, student, or volunteer may issue a complaint directly to a building principal or the District Title IX Compliance Coordinator. It is the duty of the district to respond when any District stakeholder reports a notice of sexual harassment. If an investigation substantiates the allegation of sexual harassment/discrimination, disciplinary action commiserate with the severity of the violation will be taken. Supportive measures will be offered to parties included in the complaint as needed. The District is required to offer an equal right of appeal for both parties to a Title IX proceeding. 

Additional information regarding Title IX in the workplace and educational environment can be found in Board Policy ACA.

District Title IX Compliance Coordinator
Dr. Cameron Poole, Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Student Services 
School District of Clayton
#2 Mark Twain Circle
Clayton, MO 63105
314.854.6022

Under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the School District of Clayton is prohibited from discriminating against students on the basis of a disability. Clayton provides a free and appropriate public education to each student within its jurisdiction regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. The School District ensures that students who need or are believed to need special education or related services will be identified, evaluated and provided with appropriate educational services. Students whose disability qualifies them for special education under IDEA are eligible for services from the Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD). IDEA requirements are fulfilled by SSD with cooperation and assistance from the School District of Clayton.

Section 504 also stipulates that students with disabilities have the right to participate in school-sponsored extracurricular programs and activities to the maximum extent appropriate to their needs.

Under Section 504 and IDEA, students with disabilities have the right to be placed in the least restrictive educational environment. To the maximum extent appropriate for the needs of the student, the District will educate students with disabilities within their regular school program.

Students with disabilities and their parents have a number of rights and protections. Questions or requests for assistance or information about services for students with diagnosed or suspected disabilities should be directed to the student’s school counselor or Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Student Services  Dr. Cameron Poole, 314.854.6018, #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, MO 63105.

All responsible public agencies are required to locate, evaluate and identify children with disabilities who are under the jurisdiction of the agency, regardless of the severity of the disability, including non-resident children attending private schools; highly mobile children, such as migrant and homeless children; and children who are suspected of having a disability and in need of special education even though they are advancing from grade to grade. The Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD), in partnership with the School District of Clayton, assures that a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) is provided to all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 5 and 21 under their jurisdiction. The School District of Clayton provides Early Childhood Special Education.

Disabilities include autism, deaf/blindness, emotional disorders, hearing impairment and deafness, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment/blindness and young child with a developmental delay.

SSD, in partnership with the Component Districts, 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 Steps Program.

SSD, in partnership with the Component Districts, assures that personally identifiable information collected, used or maintained by the districts for the purposes of identification, evaluation, placement or provision of FAPE of children with disabilities may be inspected and/or reviewed by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians may request amendment to the educational record if the parent/guardian believes the record is inaccurate, misleading or violates the privacy or other rights of their child. 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).

SSD has developed a local Compliance Plan for implementation of State Regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - 2004 (IDEA-2004). This plan and Board policies contain the District’s procedures regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention and destruction of personally identifiable information and the District’s assurances that services are provided in compliance with the General Education Provision Act (GEPA). This plan and the School District of Clayton’s local Compliance plan are available for public review in the Office of the Superintendent during regular school hours on days school is in session. 

The School District of Clayton will provide those who have a disability, as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, with equal opportunity to access school/District activities. Please contact Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Student Services, Dr. Cameron Poole, 314.854.6018, with any questions or to make arrangements related to a disability.

The School District of Clayton is required to inform you of certain information that you, according to the Every Student Succeeds Act, have the right to know. Upon your request, the District is required to provide to you, in a timely manner, the following information: (1) Whether a teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction. (2) Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived. (3) Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. (4) 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, the District must provide each individual parent with 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 consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified. 

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) Complaint Procedures

This guide explains how to file a complaint about any of the programs¹ that are administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the Department) under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA)².

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Complaint Procedures for ESSA Programs General Information

1.  What is a complaint?

For these purposes, a complaint is a written allegation that a local education agency (LEA) or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the Department) has violated a federal statute or regulation that applies to a program under ESSA.

2. Who may file a complaint?

Any individual or organization may file a complaint.

3. How can a complaint be filed?

Complaints can be filed with the LEA or with the Department.

4. How will a complaint filed with the LEA be investigated?

Complaints filed with the LEA are to be investigated and attempted to be resolved according to the locally developed and adopted procedures.

5. What happens if a complaint is not resolved at the local level (LEA)?

A complaint not resolved at the local level may be appealed to the Department.

6. How can a complaint be filed with the Department?

A complaint filed with the Department must be a written, signed statement that includes:

A statement that a requirement that applies to an ESSA program has been violated by the LEA or the Department, and
The facts on which the statement is based and the specific requirement allegedly violated.

7. How will a complaint filed with the Department be investigated?

The investigation and complaint resolution proceedings will be completed within a time limit of forty-five calendar days. That time limit can be extended by the agreement of all parties.

The following activities will occur in the investigation:

• Record. A written record of the investigation will be kept.
• Notification of LEA. The LEA will be notified of the complaint within five days of the complaint being filed.
• Resolution at LEA. The LEA will then initiate its local complaint procedures in an effort to first resolve the complaint at the local level.
• Report by LEA. Within 35 days of the complaint being filed, the LEA will submit a written summary of the LEA investigation and complaint resolution. This report is considered public record and may be made available to parents, teachers and other members of the general public.
• Verification. Within five days of receiving the written summary of a complaint resolution, the Department will verify the resolution of the complaint through an on-site visit, letter or telephone call(s).
• Appeal. The complainant or the LEA may appeal the decision of the Department to the U.S. Department of Education.

8. How are complaints related to equitable services to nonpublic school children handled differently?

In addition to the procedures listed in number 7 above, complaints related to equitable services will also be filed with the U.S. Department of Education, and they will receive all information related to the investigation and resolution of the complaint. Also, appeals to the United States Department of Education must be filed no longer than 30 days following the Department’s resolution of the complaint (or its failure to resolve the complaint).

9. How will appeals to the Department be investigated?

The Department will initiate an investigation within 10 days, which will be concluded within 30 days from the day of the appeal. This investigation may be continued beyond the 30 day limit at the discretion of the Department. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Department will communicate the decision and reasons for the decision to the complainant and the LEA. Recommendations and details of the decision are to be implemented within 15 days of the decision being delivered to the LEA.

10. What happens if a complaint is not resolved at the state level (the Department)?

The complainant or the LEA may appeal the decision of the Department to the United States Department of Education.

1 Programs include Title I. A, B, C, D, Title II, Title III, Title IV.A, Title V Revised 4/17 
2 In compliance with ESSA Title VIII- Part C. Sec. 8304(a)(3)(C)

Local education agencies are required to disseminate, free of charge, this information regarding ESSA complaint procedures to parents of students and appropriate private school officials or representatives.

The District believes that engaging parents and families in the education process is essential to improved academic success for all students. To support meaningful and effective engagement, including for Title I programs, the District has developed Policy IGBC.

TITLE I FUNDING

Title I is a federal program providing funds to school districts and schools with high percentages of children who are considered disadvantaged. Its overall purpose is to ensure all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and assessments. 
In addition to the information that parents may request, a building receiving Title I.A funds must provide to each individual parent:

• Information on the level of achievement and academic growth of your student, if applicable and available, on each of the State academic assessments required under Title I.A.
• Timely notice that your student has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who has not met applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

In 2025-2026, buildings receiving Title I funds include:  Glenridge Elementary, Meramec Elementary, Wydown Middle and Clayton High. For more information about this federal program, please contact Dr. Milena Garganigo, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, at 314.854.6004, #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, MO 63105.

The School District of Clayton is committed to ensuring that all members of our community have equal access to public information. Providing accessible websites, documents, applications and online services is an essential function of a public school district, and we strive to make our digital content usable by everyone.

We have developed our content to meet the requirements of common adaptive technologies by utilizing the State of Missouri’s Accessibility Standard, which is based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (as amended) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. Accessibility checks and staff training are also incorporated into our content publishing process to maintain and improve accessibility.

Some documents on this website may require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print PDF files. To download this program for free, visit the Adobe website. In addition, please note that our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not under the District’s control and may not fully comply with accessibility standards. The District is not responsible for the accessibility of content on external sites.

If you are unable to access information or use any features on our website due to a disability, please contact the District. When reporting an accessibility issue, include your contact information, the URL of the page or document and a description of the problem you experienced so we can assist.