Black Cager Sports spoke with Maria McDermott, MCIU, Guidance Counselor and Carole Anne Dominello, Guidance Department on October 18, 2019 regarding Bishop McDevitt High School’s transcript policy. Both Ms. McDermott and Ms. Dominello stated that McDevitt does NOT provide unofficial or official copies of transcripts to parents and/or students.
Below, please find a copy of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This is a federal law.
As you can see, “Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school.”
Apparently, McDevitt administrators are relying upon the language in the next sentence to deny parents/students copies of their transcripts. The law states “Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records.”
For more than 20 years, Black Cager Sports has advocated for students and student-athletes. We have always encouraged parents and students to obtain and carefully review unofficial copies of their transcripts prior to forwarding them to the NCAA Clearinghouse, college admissions offices or college coaches. This is the first instance, where we have seen parents and students denied an unofficial copy of a student’s transcript.
McDevitt’s policy, while within the rule of law, places an undue burden on parents that have paid tuition to matriculate at the school. It makes no sense to deny a family planning for college a copy of a transcript.
Parents high achieving students and student-athletes should be fully aware of this policy prior to enrolling at McDevitt. Black Cager Sports hopes that McDevitt will modify this policy and assist their parents efforts to plan and meet stringent college admission and NCAA requirements.
Until the policy is amended, Black Cager Sports encourages ALL parents of McDevitt students and student-athletes to make an appointment to inspect and review their child’s transcripts. Once the records are in front of you please take clear photographs of the transcripts and maintain the photos for your records.
If you are the parent of an 7th or 8th grade student or student-athlete and you would like the names of Catholic and Independent High Schools that are cooperative with parents planning for college, contact Black Cager Sports at blackcager@gmail.com.
If Bishop McDevitt amends this policy and starts sharing transcripts with parents and students Black Cager Sports will provide an update.
The Black Cager 