All Harrisburg School District policies can be found on the District’s website at HarrisburgDistrict41-2.org or can be obtained from any school office or the District Office. Should you have any questions regarding these annual notifications, please contact your school principal or the District Office at 605-743-2567.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was established in response to the immense challenges facing students, educators, staff, schools, and districts in preparing for and responding to COVID-19. View the Plan

The Harrisburg School District has on file a complete and updated Management Plan, as required by regulation, for school district buildings that may contain asbestos materials. The Management Plan is available for viewing by interested parties Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the District Office. Every three years an asbestos inspection is made by a certified inspector. At least once every six months all asbestos containing material will be re-inspected for any change that may occur to the condition of the material.

The Harrisburg School District provides free, appropriate education for all children with disabilities from birth to age 21. Any eligible child within the jurisdiction of the district, including those enrolled in any public or private agency or school located in the District, should be referred to the office of Special Education, 605-743-2567.

After obtaining parental consent, the district will conduct an evaluation of the child’s needs, and hold a meeting with the child’s parents or guardian to discuss appropriate educational planning for the child.

Federally funded school breakfasts and lunches are available for all students enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 12 in the Harrisburg School District. Free or reduced priced meals are available to households directly certified through the Department of Social Services or households meeting the federal income guidelines. Applications are required on a yearly basis. Notifications are mailed to households when the application process is complete or notice of direct certification has been received by the Child Nutrition Office.

In accordance with federal Title regulations, the Harrisburg School District must inform students and parents of Policy IFA (Public Complaints about the Curriculum or Classroom Instructional Materials), Policy KLD (Public Complaints about School Personnel), and Policy AFF (Public Complaints about Federal Programs). The Harrisburg School District welcomes constructive criticism of the schools when it is motivated by a sincere desire to improve the quality of the educational program and to help the school personnel in performing their tasks more effectively. The policies provide the specific procedures for contacting district personnel with this feedback. Policies can also be obtained from any school office or the District Office.

The Harrisburg School District has developed and implemented policies and procedures on the confidentiality of information consistent with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

The parents/guardians of a child who is now or was enrolled in the Harrisburg School District shall be afforded, in accordance with this policy, an opportunity to inspect and review all education records concerning that child.

Confidentiality procedures are assurances that personally identifiable data shall be used for the purpose for which it is collected and be released only in the manner provided by law.

Policy JO
Policies can also be obtained from any school office or the District Office.

FERPA Notifications

The Harrisburg School District is operating a project in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Any funding applications, evaluations, or reports required by the stated for operation of the project are available for public inspection. Documents are maintained in the Special Education Office of the District Office, 200 E Willow Street, Harrisburg, and are available during business hours.

In an effort to provide a safe, respectful, educational environment, the District prohibits discrimination in its policies, employment practices, and programs and activities on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, gender (including pregnancy), disability, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, military/veteran status, or any other category protected by law. The District prohibits acts of discrimination toward any individual(s) while on District property or at District sponsored activities.

The District prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of parental status, marital status, or pregnancy. Students will not be excluded from any program or activity, including any class or extra-curricular activity based on the above.

Ethnic slurs, racial jokes, offensive or derogatory comments, or other verbal or physical conduct based on a person’s race, or other category, as above specified, can constitute prohibited discrimination if they create an intimidating, hostile or offensive school or work environment, or interfere with the individual’s school or work performance.

The District will make reasonable modifications to its programs, facilities, employment practices, and activities to accommodate otherwise qualified individuals with a disability, unless such modifications would impose an undue burden on the operation of the particular program, or would alter the fundamental nature or purpose of the program or position, or cause an undue hardship on the District.

Violations of this policy may result in discipline up to and including expulsion for students, up to and including termination for employees, and suspension from attending school activities for citizens.

The District prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports a claim under this policy or participates in an investigation of any such claim.

Inquiries concerning Title VI, Title VII, or Title IX may be referred to the Superintendent or his/her designee, 200 E Willow Street, Harrisburg SD 57032.

Policy AC, AC-R
Policies can also be obtained from any school office or the District Office. Concerns and inquiries regarding discrimination rights may be directed to Office of Civil Rights, U S Department of Education, One Petticoat Lane, 1010 Walnut Street, Suite 320, Kansas City, MO 64106. Telephone: 816-268-0550; Fax 816-268-0559; email: OCR.KansasCity@ed.gov

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires state education agencies, school districts, and individual schools to provide numerous notices to parents, the public, and others. Several ESEA provisions are summarized in Transitioning to the Every Student Succeeds Act Frequently Asked Questions.

Policy JOA
Policies can also be obtained from any school office or the District Office.

The School Board shall make reasonable efforts to identify homeless children within the School District, encourage their enrollment, and eliminate barriers to their education which may exist in District policies or practices, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Homeless students, as defined by federal and state statutes in Policy JFB, residing within the District, are entitled to free school privileges. No child or youth in the School District shall be discriminated against or stigmatized because of homelessness.

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) affords parents certain rights regarding our conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams. South Dakota Codified Law 13-3-51.2 provides greater rights to parents. 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”)

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;

2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;

3. Sex behavior or attitudes;

4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;

6. Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;

7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or

8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

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

1. Certain non-emergency medical examinations required for school attendance; and

2. 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 –

1. Protected information surveys of students;

2. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and

3. Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State law.

The District has adopted a procedure regarding the above rights and to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes. The District will notify parents at the beginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of surveys for which consent is required. For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity to consent (protected information surveys) or opt their child out (marketing activities and certain non-emergency medical examinations) as required by the PPRA and state law. Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys. Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Dept. of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20202.

The Harrisburg School District assures that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, or disability by signing assurance forms. Section 504 defines a person with a disability as anyone who... Has a mental or physical impairment, a record of such an impairment, or being recorded as having such an impairment, which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, sleeping, standing, lifting, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, helping, eating, bending, or operation of a bodily function. The school district has the responsibility to provide accommodations and services to eligible individuals with disabilities. The district acknowledges its responsibility under Section 504 to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and students. No discrimination against any person with a disability shall knowingly be permitted in any program or practice in the school.

Policy JHCE, JHCE-E
Policies can also be obtained from any school office or the District Office.