Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

Students working and teacher assisting one studentPPRA gives parents the right to:
  1. Consent before students are required to take a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education (ED):
    • Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent
    • Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family
    • Sex behavior or attitudes
    • Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior
    • Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships
    • Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, physicians, or ministers
    • Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student's parents
    • Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program)
  2. Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of:
    • Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding
    • Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under state law
    • Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others
  3. Inspect, upon request and before administration or use:
    • Protected information surveys of students
    • Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes
    • Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum

These privacy rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under state law.

Lake Washington School District has developed processes regarding these rights. The district has made arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. Lake Washington will directly notify parents of these policies after any substantive changes, in addition to this yearly notice. The district will also directly notify, such as through U.S. Mail or email, parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activities or surveys noted below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or her student out of participation of the specific activity or survey.

Lake Washington will make this notification to parents at the beginning of the school year if the district has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activities or surveys at that time. For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and will be provided an opportunity to opt their student out of such activities and surveys. Parents will also be given a chance to review any pertinent surveys.

Following is a list of the specific activities and surveys covered under this requirement:

  • Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution
  • Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education
  • Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920