Confidentiality and Security of student data

Each and every employee who has access to student data is individually responsible, by Federal law, for the confidentiality and security of that data. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 United States Code § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99, states “schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record”, a regulation enacted by the U.S. House of Representatives on August 6^th, 2004 that leaves little room for interpretation. In addition to FERPA, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a separate Federal regulation that applies similar restrictions to a subset of education records of students with disabilities, over and above FERPA.

We are therefore, publicly and legally accountable for our practices and actions. It is extremely important that every employee share in the responsibility to protect student records from unauthorized access and alteration. I can not stress strongly enough how we must remain mindful that this confidentiality extends beyond the physical security of paper records or computer access, but also includes our conversations with friends and family that might violate the privacy of a particular student or group of students. 

Do not discuss, share in writing or be negligent with student grades, attendance, discipline, test scores, demographic information, or any other student data, unless you have appropriated and can produce written authorization to do so. Every employee will be held individually responsible for strictly adhering to these Federal regulations.

Keith Palmer
Director of Technology
Gainesville City Schools