How can parents exercise their rights to protect their children’s privacy under federal law?

First, know your rights:  FERPA, PPRA and COPPA.

Second, know that when your district or state officials tell you that their student data policies or technology initiatives are “FERPA compliant,” understand that FERPA has changed over time.

Third, use the following simple forms to exercise your rights under FERPA and COPPA (for children under the age of 13).

FORMS TO USE:

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1. FERPA Letter to Request Access to/Correct Education Records Held by the State                                                                                                          (Use this letter to request access to and correct your child’s education records held by your State’s Education Department.)

2. FERPA Directory Information Opt-Out Form                                        (Use this form to to inform your school that they may not disclose directory information to third parties without your consent.)

3. COPPA Disclosure Request Form                                                                 (Use this form to request information from your school/district so you know which online programs your under-13 child is using in school, and how your under-13 child’s information is being used by the operators of those online programs.)

4. COPPA Exercising Rights Form                                                                          (Use this form to request that your school exercises their rights under COPPA to review and delete your child’s personal information collected by online programs, and prevent the online program from further using or collecting your under-13 child’s personal information.)

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The above summaries of parental rights and forms are aligned with our understanding of federal student privacy laws, which are complex and have changed over time.   Any questions, corrections or suggestions for improvement, please email us at [email protected]  thanks!