Student Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that gives parents certain protections with regard to their children’s education records, such as report cards, transcripts, disciplinary records, contact and family information, and class schedules. As a parent, you have the right to review your child’s education records and to request changes under limited circumstances.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Each year, Alaska public schools are required to notify parents of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. These rights are generally broken into four sections. Here is a brief description of FERPA rights:
FERPA requires that the Department, with certain exceptions, obtain parent, guardian, or eligible student’s consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. However, the Department may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent unless the parent, guardian, or eligible student requested the Department to the contrary in writing, (i.e. “Opt Out”). The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Department to include this type of information from the student’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Military Recruiter Information Release
The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires the Department to provide to military recruiters, upon their request, the name, address and telephone number (including unlisted number) of secondary school students. Although military recruiters focus their efforts on high school juniors and seniors, the law allows for the gathering of this information from the broad category of “secondary” students, defined as students in grades 7 through 12. If any secondary student or the parent/guardian of a secondary student does not want the Department to provide the requested information to military recruiters, the secondary student or the parent/guardian must “opt out” of providing such information.
Each year, Alaska public schools are required to notify parents of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. These rights are generally broken into four sections. Here is a brief description of FERPA rights:
- The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the request.
- The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent, guardian, or eligible student believe are inaccurate or misleading.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the school to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
FERPA requires that the Department, with certain exceptions, obtain parent, guardian, or eligible student’s consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. However, the Department may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent unless the parent, guardian, or eligible student requested the Department to the contrary in writing, (i.e. “Opt Out”). The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Department to include this type of information from the student’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- A playbill, showing the student’s role in a drama production;
- The annual yearbook;
- Honor roll or other recognition lists;
- Graduation programs, and
- Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.
Military Recruiter Information Release
The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires the Department to provide to military recruiters, upon their request, the name, address and telephone number (including unlisted number) of secondary school students. Although military recruiters focus their efforts on high school juniors and seniors, the law allows for the gathering of this information from the broad category of “secondary” students, defined as students in grades 7 through 12. If any secondary student or the parent/guardian of a secondary student does not want the Department to provide the requested information to military recruiters, the secondary student or the parent/guardian must “opt out” of providing such information.
