Information for Parents and Guardians
The Clay County School District of Florida is committed to honoring the rights of parents and promoting parental involvement in the District. The Board recognizes the fundamental rights of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.
In accordance with Florida legislation, the following informational links are intended to provide parents with resources relating to the education of their child(ren). All Clay County District School (CCDS) parents and guardians have the right to:
Opt-out of comprehensive health education
The Clay County School District parents and guardians can click this link to access and view the instructional materials used in CCDS reproductive health and disease curriculum.
Parents are able to exempt their children from the teaching of reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS (per FL State Statute 1003.42). Parents and/or guardian who wish to exempt their children from participating in reproductive health and disease instruction, including instruction relating to HIV/AIDS, can make a written request to their children's school principal.
Additional information can be accessed here.
Receive information about school choice options
The Clay County School District parents and guardians receive annual notification of open enrollment for School Choice options through the district website. School Choice information can also be accessed here.
Exempt his or her child from immunizations
All student immunizations must be up-to-date to attend school in Clay County in accordance with Florida Statute 1003.22. The immunizations are recorded on a Florida Certification of Immunization (DH 680) form, which can be obtained through the Clay County Health Department or your doctor’s office.
Private health care providers may grant a Temporary Medical Exemption (TME), documented on the Form DH 680, Florida Certification of Immunization, for those who are in the process of completing any necessary immunizations. The TME requires an expiration date after which the exemption is no longer valid, and the immunizations must be completed before or at that time.
A Permanent Medical Exemption, documented on the Form DH 680, can be granted if a child cannot be fully immunized due to medical reasons. In this case, the child's physician must state in writing, the reasons for exemption based on valid clinical reasoning or evidence.
Form DH 681, Religious Exemption From Immunization, is issued if immunizations are in conflict with the religious tenets and practices of the child's parent or guardian. This exemption is issued by a County Health Department (CHD) and is based on established religious beliefs or practices only.
Please contact the Clay County Health Department for more information on immunization exemption at 904-529-2800 or ClayCHDWeb@flhealth.gov.
Review statewide standardized assessment results
Clay County District Schools parents and guardians can click this CCDS ParentVue link to access and view assessment results.
Florida statewide assessment results can also be viewed on the state’s Family Portal. Click here to access.
Qualify for special education programs
Gifted Education
The Clay County School District parents, guardians, and school staff may refer students for screening for the gifted program in Kindergarten-12th grade at any time during the school year.
All students will be screened for gifted in first grade using the Universal Gifted Screening Process. Exceptions to this include students who have already been staffed into the gifted program; have already been evaluated and found ineligible for gifted services; or have had a cognitive evaluation as part of consideration for another program.
Referred students are screened at the school by completing a standardized paper and pencil group intelligence test. Those students who score at a high level on the group test are scheduled for a more lengthy and in-depth evaluation by a school psychologist.
A school psychologist administers an individualized test of intelligence to determine a student’s intellectual ability. In Florida, a student must score two standard deviations above the mean or higher in order to meet the intellectual criterion for the gifted program.
In conjunction with the psychologist’s testing, a checklist of gifted student behavioral characteristics is completed by one or more teachers familiar with the student. All information is then reviewed by an eligibility staffing committee at the school to determine if the student has a need for the gifted program and meets eligibility criteria.
Parents may also choose to contract with a private psychologist for their child's evaluation. The private psychologist must be licensed. When a private psychologist is used, the child’s school psychologist will review copies of the evaluation. The staffing committee will then determine eligibility according to the same criteria mentioned above.
All other Exceptional Student Education Programs
The Clay County School District parents, guardians, and school staff may request that a student be evaluated in Kindergarten-12th grade at any time during the school year.
The Student Progression Plan can be found by clicking here.
Inspect Instructional Materials
The Clay County School District parents and guardians can click here to find a list of currently adopted instructional materials(i.e. textbooks).
The CCDS OneClay Portal provides students and teachers with a complete list of digital applications adopted by the district.
The Public Portal can be accessed here: portal.classlink.com/oneclay
To learn about the process to request a physical or digital material be reconsidered please visit this link.
Access information relating to the school district’s policies for promotion or retention, including high school graduation requirements
Clay County School District parents and guardians can click here to view the current CCDS Student Progression Plan.
Access a school report card
Clay County School District parents and guardians can click this Synergy ParentVUE link to access and view student grades, progress reports, and report cards. For directions, please visit the Synergy Information section of this website.
Be informed of attendance requirements
Clay County School District parents and guardians can find information on attendance requirements on this page of the website.
Access information relating to the state public education system and state standards
CCDS curriculum follows the state-adopted Florida Standards. Clay County School District parents and guardians can access information relating to the state public education system, state standards, report card requirements, attendance requirements, and instructional materials requirements.
Improve parent and teacher cooperation
Clay County School District parents and guardians can click this Synergy ParentVUE Portal link to access and view attendance and discipline.
In addition, some schools also utilize a student planner which can assist parents and guardians in locating homework assignments.
CCDS parents and guardians can communicate and cooperate with their child’s teacher through the ParentVUE Portal, by emailing the teacher directly, or over the phone. Please allow 24 hours for a response to a phone call and 48 hours to a response to written communication.
Participate in parent-teacher associations and organizations
Every Clay County District School has a School Advisory Council (SAC) and some have a Parent-Teacher Organization or Association.
Clay County District Schools parents and guardians can check their school’s website or contact the school for more information on local offerings.
Opt-out of district-level data collection not required by law
The primary purpose of Clay County District School's provision of access to electronic devices, network resources, and computer support services is to facilitate education consistent with the educational objectives of Clay County District Schools (“CCDS”).
Student safety is our highest priority. Clay County District Schools utilizes educational technology in accordance with the CCDS Responsible Use Guidelines and the following federal laws:
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/coppafaqs.shtm
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa
Google for Education Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/edu/trust/