Permanent Student Record Instructions

Last updated on April 19, 2024

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Background

A Permanent Student Record documents the history of a student’s education program. The Permanent Student Record must be retained by school districts for 55 years after a student has withdrawn or graduated from school and stored according to school district policy.

The Permanent Student Record consists of the following two parts:

  1. Form 1704, and
  2. A minimum of the two most recent years of Student Progress Reports (including documentation to support orally communicated letter grades) or: a copy of the Transcript of Grades issued by the Ministry.

Student File shall be established and maintained for each student enrolled in the public education system. The Student File will contain copies of current records used in the planning and administration of the student’s education program. For convenience, school districts may choose to store permanent student records in the Student File. The content of a Student File will differ with each individual student. However, at a minimum, the Student file will contain the following:

  • Current student record inclusions as listed on form 1704
  • A copy of the student’s current Student Learning Plan (if applicable)
  • A copy of the student’s current IEP (if applicable)

After a student has withdrawn or graduated from the education system, records contained in a Student File shall be retained according to school district policy.

Information should be updated as it changes and the student progresses through the British Columbia school system. School district policy will determine who is responsible for updating Permanent Student Record form 1704.

Data for Permanent Student Record Form 1704 may be stored in electronic and/or paper format.

If Permanent Student Record Form 1704 data are stored in electronic format:

  • The electronic format must be ministry certified
  • The school must be capable of recreating the data in case of a system failure
  • Printouts must represent the fields in the same order as on the form
  • Printouts should read as one of the following: **Copy Only---Master resident at school**, **Obsolete Copy---Record Transferred**, or **Master Copy---Do Not Destroy**
  • Printouts should clearly display the date and time of production, and the school and system from which they have been produced.
  • The form must be printed and stored when the student leaves the British Columbia school system.

Form completion instructions

The following instructions are guidelines for completing all the fields on the Permanent Student Record Form 1704.

 

Medical Alert

Indicate when a Medical Alert is in effect:

  • You may use a removable sticker or pencil check for paper format
  • List the medical alert and the expiry date (if applicable) under the Student Record Inclusions section
  • Attach an emergency procedure plan (if applicable)
  • The following medical alert conditions should be entered:
    • diabetes
    • epilepsy with a history of seizures in the past two years
    • allergy (only those which produce an anaphylactic type response, needing hospitalization and/or adrenaline at once by school staff) See Anaphylaxis Protection Order M232/07
    • blood clotting disorders
    • serious heart conditions

Any other condition which may require emergency care may be added after consultation with the senior public Health Nurse, supervisor, or Medical Health Officer.

Situations that may interfere with student performance, health or behaviour should be included; i.e., hearing aids, medication prescribed by the doctor (asthma, hyperactivity), cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis.

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 with severe allergies to substances found in the school environment that require preventive and/or treatment action by school staff should be included.

 

Legal Alert

Indicate when a Legal Alert or Court Order is in effect:

  • You may use a removable sticker or pencil check for paper format
  • List the court order and the expiry date (if applicable) under the Student Record Inclusions section (e.g., custodial rights, restraining orders, instructions re. access to student and/or student records)
  • When a court order is no longer in effect enter the date the order was rescinded in the expiry space
 

Student Information

  • Legal Name
    • Enter the name(s) that appears on the student’s birth certificate or other legal document. If a legal name change has been filed enter the new legal name
  • Usual Name
    • Enter a usual name if the student requests to be called by anything other than a legal name (e.g., nickname, middle name or different surname, etc.)
    • Complete only the sections that are different
  • P.E.N.
    • Enter the nine digit Personal Education Number assigned to the student by the ministry
  • Gender
    • Check the appropriate box
  • Birthdate
    • Enter the year, month, and date of birth (e.g., 1989 08 24)
  • Birth country
    • Enter the country of birth
  • Initial Entry from
    • Students may enter a British Columbia school from the home or a school outside the province. Enter in the ‘initial entry from’ box
  • Verification box
    • Upon a student’s initial entry to a British Columbia school, it is the responsibility of an administrative office or designate to verify the student’s names, birthdate, and placement data and ensure the box is checked
 

Record of Schooling

This section will begin upon initial entry of the student into the school system

  • Ministry School Code
    • Enter the eight digit school code
  • District Name
    • Enter the district name (e.g., Greater Victoria)
  • Name of School
    • Enter the name of the school in full (e.g., Cedar Grove Elem.).
  • Grade/Entry Date
    • Enter the grade and date when the student first enrolled at this school
  • Exit Date/Grade
    • Enter the grade and date when the student withdrew from  the school
  • Reason for exit
    • Enter; "transferred", "withdrew", "graduated", or "deceased"
 

Student Record Inclusions

Inclusions are documents (or copies of documents) that are used to help plan or support the individual student’s education program. Not all students will have inclusions. Documents listed as inclusions are kept in the student file and will be transferred if the student moves to another school. For all inclusions list the document date, title, and expiry date or date rescinded (if applicable). If the space for inclusions becomes full, it may be necessary to create a second portion and tape it to the form for future additions.

The following inclusions must be listed on the PSR form:

  • Health services information as indicated by a medical alert
  • Support services information (e.g., psychometric testing, speech and hearing tests, adjudication requirements for completing assessment activities)
  • Court orders as indicated by the legal alert
  • Other legal documents e.g., name change or immigration document
  • Notification that a student is on an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  • Notification that a student is registered as a Home Schooler

The following inclusions may be listed on the PSR form:

  • Records of information which an educator deems relevant to the educational program of the student
  • Award information (ministry awards information must include year, date, and serial number)

Student Progress Reports and Student Learning Plans are also kept in the student file but are not to be listed on the PSR form in the inclusion section.

 

Achievement/Attendance Record

Achievement and attendance can be entered:

  • Manually by handwriting, typewriting, or computer generated strips
  • Electronically

Indicate any course(s) completed in relation to IEP goals and not the Learning Standards of the curriculum.

For grades K-9

  • Indicator from the Provincial Proficiency Scale with reference to Learning Standards set out in the curriculum
  • Enter days absent in each school year
  • Use the extra lines if a student has been retained

For grades 10-12

  • For each course, enter the final letter grade, percent, and credit value. Enter the full name of the course or use the official ministry course code
  • Enter days absent
  • Check box if graduation requirements are met, and indicate the year completed