How to Request Your Child’s Raw Test Scores Under FERPA

Families often receive a polished assessment report showing achievement bands, percentile ranks, or suggested interventions. That summary may not reveal the underlying number of correct answers, item-level responses, scale scores, or testing notes. For some parents, seeing the original data is essential to checking whether a result has been interpreted fairly.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly called FERPA, gives parents rights to inspect and review education records held by a US school or school district. It may cover standardised tests, benchmark assessments, answer documents, score reports, and related correspondence, provided the information is maintained by the school.

For families in Australia, the terminology can feel unfamiliar. A parent in Sydney or Melbourne may know NAPLAN reports through the My School system, while a US district may refer to a “student information system,” “assessment coordinator,” or “data custodian.” The key is to make a precise written request for records rather than asking generally how a child performed.

Check Whether FERPA Applies

FERPA applies to educational institutions that receive funds administered by the US Department of Education. It generally covers public school districts and many other participating schools in the United States. It does not govern Australian state schools, independent schools, or NAPLAN records.

If your child attends a US school, the right usually belongs to the parent until the student turns 18 or attends a post-secondary institution. After that point, FERPA rights generally transfer to the student, although limited exceptions may apply. A school can request reasonable proof of identity or parental authority before releasing records.

Before writing, identify the district, school, year level, assessment name, and testing dates. If the assessment was described as a “benchmark,” “interim,” or “common-core-aligned” test, reviewing benchmark testing details can help you use the same terminology as the school.

Define The Records You Want

A strong request names the exact records sought. Ask for the raw score, scale score, performance level, percentile rank, item or strand breakdown, answer document, response file, scoring rubric, and any report supplied to teachers or administrators. You can also request the assessment title, administration date, testing vendor, and explanation of score codes.

Use a date range and include every relevant test if you are unsure which assessment was used. For example, request records from August 2024 through June 2025 for reading, writing, and mathematics assessments, including classroom benchmark tests and district-wide interim exams. This reduces the chance that a staff member treats your request as too vague.

Send The Request To The Right Office

Start with the principal or district office, but look for a FERPA officer, registrar, student records administrator, or assessment director. Many districts publish a records-request procedure online. Follow it if it requires a form, identity verification, or a particular email address.

Send the request in writing and keep a copy. Email is useful because it creates a date-stamped record, while registered post can be helpful when a district has no reliable electronic process. A clear subject line such as “FERPA request for education records” helps route the message without sounding confrontational.

Use A Precise Written Formula

Your letter should state that you are the child’s parent, identify the student, and request access under FERPA. Ask to inspect the records and receive copies in an electronic format where reasonably available. You may write: “Please provide all maintained records relating to my child’s assessments, including raw and scale scores, item-level responses, score reports, testing dates, and communications interpreting those results.”

Request an explanation of any withheld material. FERPA may permit redaction of another student’s information or exclusion of records that do not meet the definition of an education record. It does not necessarily require a district to create a new analysis that it never maintained, so ask for existing files rather than demanding a fresh report.

Track The Response Period

Under FERPA, a school must comply with a request to inspect and review education records within 45 days. That does not always mean every record will arrive by email on the first day. The district may arrange an appointment, provide paper copies, or charge limited copying costs in some circumstances, but it should not use fees to prevent meaningful access.

Record the date the district received your request and any follow-up messages. If the district sends only a summary, reply politely and identify the missing categories: raw points, answer responses, scoring information, or vendor reports. Keeping a simple chronology is especially useful when several offices share responsibility.

Challenge Errors In The Record

Access and correction are separate FERPA rights. If a score report lists the wrong test date, student, year level, or result, request amendment of the inaccurate or misleading information. Explain the disputed entry, attach supporting evidence, and state the correction sought.

A disagreement with educational judgment is different from a factual error. A parent may believe a benchmark test was unsuitable or that a scale score was misleading, but FERPA’s amendment process is generally aimed at inaccurate or misleading records. The district may offer a hearing, and a parent can ask to place a statement of disagreement in the file if the challenge is unsuccessful.

Consider Privacy And Testing Context

Raw results can reveal sensitive information about disability adjustments, learning needs, or educational history. Ask how the district stores and shares the files, especially when an outside testing vendor or online platform is involved. The organisation’s wider resources on student data privacy can provide useful context about data collection, transparency, and parental oversight.

Australian families should also separate US legal rights from local privacy rules. In Brisbane, Perth, or Adelaide, a request for school assessment information will generally be handled under the relevant state or territory education and privacy framework, not FERPA. NAPLAN results, school-based assessments, and records held by a third-party platform may follow different access procedures.

A practical request should name the student, assessment, date range, and records required; send it to the district’s designated records office; and preserve proof of delivery. Once the files arrive, compare the raw scores with the published report and keep the complete correspondence with the child’s education records.