Houston ISD announces plans to destroy old special education records

The Records and Information Management Department of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) has announced its intention to destroy certain educational records. These records, which contain personally identifiable information, were kept to provide educational services for students who qualified for special education.

The records slated for destruction include referral data, notice/consent documents, assessment reports with supporting data, ARD committee deliberations, and IEP documents. HISD follows a policy of destroying such records five years after the cessation of services. This occurs when a student graduates, is dismissed from Special Education Services, moves out of the district, or drops out of school.

Currently, the department is focusing on records from the 2018-2019 school year for special education students whose services have ceased. Parents or guardians of these students—or the adult students themselves if they are 18 or older—are encouraged to contact the Records and Information Management Department before December 6, 2024. "These records may be needed in the future for Social Security benefits or other purposes," according to the announcement.

For those interested in obtaining their records before they are destroyed, contact can be made via phone at 713-556-6055 or email at recordsmanagement@houstonisd.org. The department is located at 4400 W. 18th Street Building B in Houston, Texas.