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RECORDS FAQs
Is a digital copy really an Official Copy?
Yes! The PDFs and Image files that the District team uploads into ScribOrder are 'Sealable.' They can be digitally signed with the 'Blue Ribbon' Abode Digital Signature standard. These documents comply with the AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) standard for electronic transcripts.
I need an official paper copy of my transcript.
Houston ISD does not currently produce official paper copies of transcripts.
I earned a GED, so where can that be verified?
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) maintains records for all GED records. All record verifications and Certificate/Transcript requests must be made by using the electronic system at https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/certificate-of-high-school-equivalency.
Visit their CERTIFICATE SEARCH to obtain a free verification letter, or to purchase a PDF containing the Certificate of High School Equivalency with test scores for $5. The PDF will include a diploma-style certificate suitable for framing and a transcript with test dates and scores.
You can save the PDF to your computer or electronic device, email it to yourself or third parties, and/or print it. Purchases can be made by credit card or check (automated clearing house).
Colleges and employers should obtain verifications and certificates directly from the Texas Certificate/Transcript Search, as TEA no longer sends certificates or verifications via mail, fax, or email.
I need a copy of my birth certificate. Where can I find that?
The Texas Vital Records department documents life events such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce. To order records online, you’ll need to have a valid ID, complete an online application, and pay a fee. You can find more information on their website, at https://www.texas.gov/texas-vital-records/.
I need a copy of my immunization records.
If you need proof of immunization, the best place to start is by contacting the clinic, doctor, or healthcare provider that administered the vaccination. If your provider has the record on file, this will be the fastest way of obtaining your records.
Houston ISD does not permanently retain proof of immunization as part of the student record. Under regulation SD3300-08a, immunization records are maintained by the campus for just two years after the student's date of withdrawal. So your most recent campus of enrollment may have a copy of your immunization record, especially if the person receiving the vaccine is under 20 years old at the time of the request.
Finally, there is a strong possibility that ImmTrac2 may have immunization records for vaccines administered to children under 18 years of age in Texas from 2005 to present. Since 2005, Texas law has required that all healthcare providers report to the Texas Immunization Registry all vaccines administered to children younger than 18 years of age. For full information, please visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website. To request a copy of immunization records for a child who is under 18 years of age at the time of the request, please complete and submit (by fax or mail) an Authorization to Release ImmTrac2 History Form (F11-11406) to them, not to HISD.
These records are requested under a subpoena or other legal proceeding.
Contact HISD Legal Services at 713.556.7245. They may give you a coupon code so your request can be fulfilled at no cost to you.
My government agency cannot pay for records requests.
Contact TRANSCRIPTS@houstonisd.org, using your official email address. Once your agency's reason for requesting records is confirmed to be within relevant regulations around student data privacy, they can provide a coupon code so your requests can be fulfilled at no cost to you.
These records are requested by the Social Security Administration. Is this legit?
The information HISD provides helps the DDS and Social Security determine if the student qualifies for disability benefits. See information at https://www.ssa.gov/schoolofficials/ and also https://www.ssa.gov/schools/.
When you complete the Teacher Questionnaire (SSA-5665), the information you provide about the way the child functions in school on a day-to-day basis will help the SSA:
(1) determine the effects of the child's impairment(s) on his or her day-to-day activities;
(2) compare this child's ability to function with that of other children the same age who have no impairments.
The SSA needs this information from you even if the child has been (or was) in your class for only a short time.
A state DDS will typically send the Request for Administrative Information (Form SSA-5666) to the administrative office in a child's school or to the central office for a school district, depending on where the child's individual academic records are maintained. The Request for Administrative Information form asks questions about the kinds of evaluation, testing, instruction, and special education services the child receives, if any, as well as the kinds of therapy the child may be given. These facts and the information obtained from copies of evaluations, testing, education plans, and other important school documents, help SSA form a complete profile of the child and the ways, and extent to which, his or her impairment(s) affects day-to-day functioning.
I don't have a government-issued photo ID.
We use this information to help authenticate your identity and retrieve your records. If you do not have a driver's license or other state-issued photo identification, please select the question-mark on the form and click the green "Do not have ID" button.
We have requested guidance from our General Counsel about how we can accommodate alums who do not have any forms of government-issued photo identification.
The website asks for the last 4 digits of my SSN. Why?
We use this information to help authenticate your identity and to retrieve your documents from the hundreds of thousands of HISD student records. If you do not have a Social Security Number, Alien Number, or US CIC Number, please select the question-mark on the form and click the green "I do not have a SSN" button.
I need a replacement diploma.
From the Alumni website: A graduate who wishes to obtain a replacement copy of their high-school diploma must first obtain a copy of their transcript and present it to the registrar at their individual high school. You can find your high school's contact information here: https://schoolfinder.houstonisd.org/Dashboard/module-resource/school-finder
Each high school has its own policies and procedures for obtaining copies of diplomas, but most charge a fee between $30 and $35 and require 6-8 weeks to process the request. Please do not send this diploma request or the replacement diploma money to the central office.
Do I really need a duplicate diploma?
In many cases, the answer is no. If the only reason you want one is to provide proof of graduation to a potential employer, then you should know that a diploma is not considered an official document. Diplomas are considered commemorative items, whose function is primarily ceremonial. For proof of graduation, you will need to obtain an official copy of your high-school transcript. If you graduated in the last five years, this document can be obtained free of charge from your high school's registrar. If you graduated more than five years ago, you will need to request an official copy through the process described on this site.
Can I use a money order? Do you take cash?
No, we cannot accept cash or a money order at this time. The site accepts multiple forms of payment, including Amazon Pay.
SCRIBBLES
How do I know my ScribSoft request went through?
After submitting an order, you will receive a confirmation email titled “Your student record order has been submitted.” This email is not only a confirmation that the submission was successful, but it also includes a link to the Order Tracker. The Order Tracker is the bridge between you and the records office while the order is being fulfilled.
After following this link, you will be taken to the Order Tracker login page. When accessing the Order Tracker, you will need the Email Address that the order was placed with, as well as the Order Number. Once this information is entered, you will receive a notification that a login link has been sent to your Email. Login links will only be provided via email to the email address you initially used during the application process. To access the Order Tracker, you will enter your email address, order number, and password. This is to provide an extra layer of security for your information.
You will receive emails from scribOnline@scribsoft.com to notify you of the status of your order. It is important that you read those emails carefully, since additional information may be required to process your request. In addition to email, you have the option to receive status updates via text message.
I lost my order number.
Great news! This is included in your $5 platform fee:
https://www.scribsoft.com/scribbles-software-contact-applicants
I need to reset my password.
Great news! This is included in your $5 platform fee:
https://www.scribsoft.com/scribbles-software-contact-applicants
I need technical support for using the Scrib website.
Great news! This is included in your $5 platform fee:
https://www.scribsoft.com/scribbles-software-contact-applicants
I reside outside the United States. How can I order my documents?
We believe all students deserve access to their student records. While the majority of our users live in the USA, many students elsewhere need their transcripts as well. Since international orders are more rare, the ScribSoft platform has a special system in place for those who wish to order transcripts from any country. So, let's get started.
The first thing you will notice is that the application won't accept any addresses out side of the United States. So we will need to enter in an address that will meet the requirements. When the application prompts us to enter the address, we'll need to enter '99999' as the ZIP code and choose a US state (It doesn't matter which one, any state is fine). We will still be able to enter the proper country, city, and street address at the next step.
So, now we can proceed with the application. Since we entered an incorrect address, we'll need to let the School District know the correct one, so they can send the records to the proper location. To do this we'll need to enter the address into the 'Special Instructions' field towards the bottom of the page.
Finally, if we're using an international debit or credit card, we'll need to pay using the 'Amazon Pay' option. We'll find it on the right hand side of the payment page.
Once this option has been selected, it will prompt us to enter our Amazon login (if you don't have one, you can create one on the same page). It will then allow us to use the payment information attached to our Amazon account. Once the payment is submitted, we'll receive an order number and will be good to go!