Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) follows the guidelines provided in the Library of Virginia’s Records and Retention Disposition Schedule – General Schedule No. 21 – Public School regarding student educational records retention and disposition. Education records of students who have permanently withdrawn or graduated from a Chesapeake Public School are retained at the last school attended under the Library of Virginia's required short-term retention period. 

Effective July 1, 2024, special education records must be retained for 7 years for students with a disability who have graduated from, aged out of, or otherwise left any public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Once the short-term retention period has expired, federal and state laws require the school district to maintain a student’s permanent educational record for 75 years. The Library of Virginia’s long-term retention requirements for student educational records are included in CPS academic profiles, immunizations, and transcripts. Special education and discipline records are not retained for the long-term retention period.

Student record requests, including transcripts, should be placed through Parchment.com. All requests are processed within ten (10) business days once the order has been received and in the order of receipt.