PWN sent home unsealed in backpack?

[Overwhelmed]

Long story but we declined eval (for now) and agreed to FBA. Two days later a PWN is sent home to us in unsealed envelope in my kids backpack.  Which of course he read and a friend had been messing around and almost ‘got’ the envelope from him. He was all freaked out about it. This method of communicating seems wrong on many levels. Same thing last year with 504 - unsealed envelope handed to kid.  Is this how your schools send formal legal documents containing private information???

[JSD24]

My district is 100% electronic now.  When they did things on paper, it was often sent in the backpack but it was sealed in an envelope.  Given the classmate almost read it, you could file a FERPA complaint.

[Carolyn Rowlett]

Many school districts still do use "backpack mail" to send home PWN's, which as you correctly state has many "wrongs," and as JSD24 states at a minimum should be in a sealed envelope.  Nothing in the IDEA prohibits this, but as JSD24 states an unsealed envelope that got into the hands of a classmate would be a FERPA violation.

However, the IDEA does state that parents can elect to have PWN's sent by email if the school has that option, which the vast majority, if not all, should have.  So you should contact the school and tell them this is how you elect to receive your notices.

From a practical standpoint, as an advocate it is much easier on my clients (and me) if they can just forward me a document that was originally sent electronically, rather than having to send screen shots or scan.

[Overwhelmed]

That was my first thought- there must be something formal we can do and should since it’s twice. Truly pissed off and taking the weekend so I have a level head, need to know what is ‘normal’ if I’m overreacting. I don’t want to make things worse but this pattern isn’t good for anyone and needs to be addressed somehow.