Parents and Guardians

Running Start at Pierce College

The decision to begin Running Start is an important one. If you and your child are considering the Running Start program, please take some time to get familiar with our college.

• How to apply to the Running Start program
• Campus life and college experience at Pierce College
• Running Start costs and fees
• Frequently asked questions about Running Start

Download Pierce College Viewbook

Will I have access to my child's grades and records?

As employees of Pierce College, we are bound by FERPA privacy regulations. FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, a federal law regulating the privacy of student education records and the obligation of Pierce College to protect the privacy of its students.

• Additional FERPA Information.

Final grades are reported to the student’s designated high school in which they are enrolled the week following the end of each quarter. At that time, parents may access their school district’s parent web access system online to view their student's grades.

In addition, we do not keep record of student absences. If for some reason a student must be absent from class, it is imperative for the student to contact the instructor(s) as soon as possible to review missed work. Communication is key. In the absence of communication, the instructor has no way to know for what reason the student missed class. However, attendance policies are set by each instructor and therefore must be adhered to so as not to negatively impact student grades. Students may look up their instructor’s contact info on their syllabus or on the Pierce College Staff Directory.