We have been asked by the U.S. Department of Education to forward the information below relative to the 2008 Annual Notice of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) to each local district superintendent in Kentucky. Please make sure that the appropriate individuals in your district receive the information. I have also copied all principals since this information is relevant to them.
Dear Chief State School Officer:
Please find below the hyperlink to our annual notice to the SEA of its responsibilities under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). Also included are links to the letter and enclosures addressed to local superintendents. We would appreciate your sharing this with each school district superintendent in your State. We hope that you will find this information helpful in protecting parents' and students' privacy rights under FERPA and PPRA.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/chiefsea.doc
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/pprasuper.doc
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/ferparights.doc
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/ppraconsent.doc
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/ppranotice.doc
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/doc/directoryinfo.doc
Also note that the U.S. Department of Education is in the process of amending the FERPA regulations to clarify issues of concern to many in the education community. As we advised you by email dated March 25, 2008, we published a Notice of Proposed Rule-making that discusses the proposed changes, which is available on our web site at http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/proprule/2008-1/032408a.html. We anticipate that the final regulations will be published in the Federal Register in December and will advise you once the changes to FERPA are finalized.
In addition, please note the School Safety and FERPA link on our web site at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/safeschools/. Understanding the law empowers school officials to act quickly and decisively when problems arise. The information contained at this link will hopefully provide you with some helpful information as you strive to keep schools in your State safe.
We encourage you to share this information with each school in your State, in order that they may make it electronically available to staff. Should you or your staff have any questions about the requirements of these laws after reading the information, you may contact our office at 202-260-3887.
LeRoy S. Rooker
Director
Family Policy Compliance Office