26 Things That You Can Find in School Records

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(This page's most recent update is February 2026)

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So, what types of records related to schools are maintained and often available?

  • School Census
  • School Catalogs
  • Teacher’s Registers
  • Attendance Records
  • Report Cards
  • Class Logs
  • Teacher Rosters
  • School Board Meetings/Reports
  • Academic Team and Class Photos
  • Local Newspaper Articles:
    • Graduation Lists
    • School Activities
    • School Sports
  • Student Newspapers
  • Alumni Directories and Publications
  • Yearbooks
  • Yearbook Indexes

And what type of information can you derive from these school records?

  • Name (often includes middle name which is useful).
  • Age
  • Physical Characteristics, such as color/race, disability.
  • Birth Date
  • Current Residence Address
  • Name of Father
  • Name of Mother
  • Occupations of parents
  • Grades
  • Classes Taken
  • Activities (from Photos)
  • Date left school (can help with family residence relocation)

Check out the Free Online School Record Collection links at The Ancestor Hunt, which are presented by state by clicking on School Records


If you’d like this information in a clean, printable, and well-organized reference format, this topic is also included in the Quicksheet Vault. The Vault is designed for researchers who prefer working tools they can save, print, and reuse—whether that means building a personal binder of key resources or keeping reliable references close at hand. You can learn more about the Quicksheet Vault HERE

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