Data systems are becoming powerful tools to address students' diverse and changing needs, but without comprehensive data privacy policies, the risks of unintentional or malicious disclosures of students' private information is increasing. Given the mounting challenges to protect data privacy, Education Commission of the States assembled data…

When the coronavirus pandemic was declared a public health crisis in March 2020, school psychologists were forced into situations where face-to-face interaction with their students was discouraged and in some cases, prohibited. Consequently, the traditional practice of school psychology abruptly ended. Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and…

The National Forum on Education Statistics (Forum) organized the Education Data Privacy Working Group to explore how state and local education agencies (SEAs and LEAs) can support best practices at the school level to protect the confidentiality of student data in day-to-day instructional and administrative tasks. Many of the best practices…

School librarians act as servants of the school community and protectors of students' rights, and it is the ethical duty of school librarians to champion student privacy and resist threats to it. This article addresses the legality of this process based upon the 2007 article "How Does the Family Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] Affect You"…

This table identifies and briefly describes the following federal policies that safeguard and protect the confidentiality of personal information: (1) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA); (2) Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA); (3) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); (4) Children's Online Privacy…

As a hybrid between a college or university student and an elementary or secondary school employee, the student teacher is in a special situation. The potential for being a plaintiff (the party who sues), the defendant (the party who is sued), or a third party that is integrally involved in a lawsuit is higher because the bodies of law pertinent…

Our nation's postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students, faculty, and staff who live, work, and study on campus. Many of these emergencies occur with little to no warning; therefore, it is critical for institutions of higher education (IHEs) to plan ahead to help ensure the safety and…

Privacy, something once taken for granted, has again become top-of-mind for public school districts thanks to technology's increasing reach, as well as new changes to privacy laws governing student information. Recently, educators have had to face important changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), originally signed into…

It is incumbent upon each school psychologist to engage in ethical behavior based on current ethical codes guiding school psychology. The school psychologist is often the team member most knowledgeable regarding federal and state laws mandating educational services. Sometimes ethical dilemmas that school psychologists face are the result of a…

In this article, we briefly outline and discuss the legal and ethical ramifications of doing astronomy education research, with an emphasis on the practical issues that researchers have to keep in mind when engaging in, and publishing about, research that involves human subjects.

New regulations may expand the thicket of student-privacy law, but the U.S. Department of Education hopes that an in-depth guide will help colleges and universities find their way. Last week the department released new rules on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Ferpa), which governs the disclosure of student records. The regulations…

As the parent of a child who has or may have a disability, the federal and state laws give them certain rights--called procedural safeguards. If they would like a more detailed explanation of these rights, they should contact the principal of their child's school, a school administrator, their local special education director, or any of the…

Widespread digital infringement of the copyrighted material now has made security firms, night-vision goggles, and metal detectors common in movie previews. The current national controversy over peer-to-peer file sharing of music highlights the difficult questions facing colleges and universities as they grapple with dramatic technological…

This paper examines how the U.S. Privacy Protection Commission functioned. Examined are its basic authority, procedures and policies, operational plan, distinctive features, staffing, and results of recommendations. Created by an act of Congress in 1974, the Commission was authorized to examine all actual and potential invasions of privacy in the…

This information memorandum describes three federal laws which govern public access to federal records and the treatment of personally identifiable information by federal agencies or under federal programs. It is noted that these laws generally apply only to federal agencies in the executive branch of government. The first of four major sections…