I'm not sure about that, but I do know that HLA will withhold transcripts/diplomas if they haven't received full payment. This is illegal.
One kid had his records held because his parents owed less than nine dollars to HLA.
Actually not illegal to withhold transcripts, but illegal to withhold records. Not sure about the diplomas...
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs29-education.htm#3a3b. ACCESS TO EDUCATION RECORDS
Do parents have a right to see their children?s education records?
Yes. Parents or adult-age students may review their records including medical or psychiatric evaluations. A parent may request and must be provided with a list of the kinds of information being stored and who to contact to retrieve them for review. Keep in mind that records are often kept in more than one school office. Be sure to ask school officials where records are filed and who to contact to retrieve them for review.
The right of access provided under FERPA does not prevent a school from withholding transcripts or other official recognition of completed work until all tuition, fees, and other charges are paid to the school. Many states have laws which allow schools to set up procedural guidelines, including the fulfillment of all financial obligations, before records are released. FERPA does not prevent states from establishing individual procedures for how records are released.
The right to review does not include the records of a school where one sought admission but was not accepted. Informal notes kept by teachers, as long as that information is made available only to substitute teachers or other school administrators, are also not included.
Many school districts are beginning to offer parents online access to the student's educational information, such as grades, homework assignments, and progress reports. If you are concerned about the security of online records, be sure to discuss this with school personnel. Ask how records are protected from illegitimate access. For example, are records encrypted? Does the school employ audit trails to monitor access? All too often, online security is deficient. Insist that school officials give you specific information about the strategies they employ to keep records secure and accessible only to those with a legitimate right of access
