The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment provides parents/guardians with certain rights regarding the conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams. In particular, if a survey is funded in whole or part by the U.S. Department of Education, parents/guardians have the right to consent before students are required to complete a survey that asks about any of the following protected areas:
- Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parents/guardians;
- Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
- Sexual behavior or attitudes;
- Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
- Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
- Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors or ministers;
- Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent; or
- Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.
Parents/guardians will also receive a notice and an opportunity to opt students out of the following:
- Any other survey that asks about the above protected areas;
- Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attending school or school functions, with the exception of physical exams or screenings required or permitted by state law (e.g. hearing, vision or scoliosis); and
- Activities involving collection, disclosure or use of personal information collected from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.
Parents/guardians have the right to inspect any surveys that ask about the above protected areas, as well as surveys created by third parties that are used to collect personal information from students for marketing purposes and instructional materials used as part of the curriculum.
The school district will directly notify parents/guardians of its student privacy policy at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. Parents/guardians will also be provided with reasonable notification of specific activities or surveys covered by this policy and the ability to opt their child out of such activities.
These rights transfer from the parents/guardians to their child who is at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor.
Parents who believe their PPRA rights have been violated may file a complaint online by selecting the PPRA complaint form option here or by mailing the form to the following address: Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202.