Part 4—Records; Privacy; Limitation on Withholding Federal Funds
§1232f. Records
(a) Records kept by recipient; full disclosure; maintenance period
Each recipient of Federal funds under any applicable program through any grant, subgrant, cooperative agreement, loan, or other arrangement shall keep records which fully disclose the amount and disposition by the recipient of those funds, the total cost of the activity for which the funds are used, the share of that cost provided from other sources, and such other records as will facilitate an effective financial or programmatic audit. The recipient shall maintain such records for three years after the completion of the activity for which the funds are used.
(b) Audit examination
The Secretary and the Comptroller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall have access, for the purpose of audit examination, to any records maintained by a recipient that may be related, or pertinent to, grants, subgrants, cooperative agreements, loans, or other arrangements to which reference is made in subsection (a), or which may relate to the compliance of the recipient with any requirement of an applicable program.
(
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 443 of
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective with respect to appropriations for fiscal year 1980 and subsequent fiscal years, see section 1261 of
§1232g. Family educational and privacy rights
(a) Conditions for availability of funds to educational agencies or institutions; inspection and review of education records; specific information to be made available; procedure for access to education records; reasonableness of time for such access; hearings; written explanations by parents; definitions
(1)(A) No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution which has a policy of denying, or which effectively prevents, the parents of students who are or have been in attendance at a school of such agency or at such institution, as the case may be, the right to inspect and review the education records of their children. If any material or document in the education record of a student includes information on more than one student, the parents of one of such students shall have the right to inspect and review only such part of such material or document as relates to such student or to be informed of the specific information contained in such part of such material. Each educational agency or institution shall establish appropriate procedures for the granting of a request by parents for access to the education records of their children within a reasonable period of time, but in no case more than forty-five days after the request has been made.
(B) No funds under any applicable program shall be made available to any State educational agency (whether or not that agency is an educational agency or institution under this section) that has a policy of denying, or effectively prevents, the parents of students the right to inspect and review the education records maintained by the State educational agency on their children who are or have been in attendance at any school of an educational agency or institution that is subject to the provisions of this section.
(C) The first sentence of subparagraph (A) shall not operate to make available to students in institutions of postsecondary education the following materials:
(i) financial records of the parents of the student or any information contained therein;
(ii) confidential letters and statements of recommendation, which were placed in the education records prior to January 1, 1975, if such letters or statements are not used for purposes other than those for which they were specifically intended;
(iii) if the student has signed a waiver of the student's right of access under this subsection in accordance with subparagraph (D), confidential recommendations—
(I) respecting admission to any educational agency or institution,
(II) respecting an application for employment, and
(III) respecting the receipt of an honor or honorary recognition.
(D) A student or a person applying for admission may waive his right of access to confidential statements described in clause (iii) of subparagraph (C), except that such waiver shall apply to recommendations only if (i) the student is, upon request, notified of the names of all persons making confidential recommendations and (ii) such recommendations are used solely for the purpose for which they were specifically intended. Such waivers may not be required as a condition for admission to, receipt of financial aid from, or receipt of any other services or benefits from such agency or institution.
(2) No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution unless the parents of students who are or have been in attendance at a school of such agency or at such institution are provided an opportunity for a hearing by such agency or institution, in accordance with regulations of the Secretary, to challenge the content of such student's education records, in order to insure that the records are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy rights of students, and to provide an opportunity for the correction or deletion of any such inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate data contained therein and to insert into such records a written explanation of the parents respecting the content of such records.
(3) For the purposes of this section the term "educational agency or institution" means any public or private agency or institution which is the recipient of funds under any applicable program.
(4)(A) For the purposes of this section, the term "education records" means, except as may be provided otherwise in subparagraph (B), those records, files, documents, and other materials which—
(i) contain information directly related to a student; and
(ii) are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.
(B) The term "education records" does not include—
(i) records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel and educational personnel ancillary thereto which are in the sole possession of the maker thereof and which are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a substitute;
(ii) records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational agency or institution that were created by that law enforcement unit for the purpose of law enforcement;
(iii) in the case of persons who are employed by an educational agency or institution but who are not in attendance at such agency or institution, records made and maintained in the normal course of business which relate exclusively to such person in that person's capacity as an employee and are not available for use for any other purpose; or
(iv) records on a student who is eighteen years of age or older, or is attending an institution of postsecondary education, which are made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in his professional or paraprofessional capacity, or assisting in that capacity, and which are made, maintained, or used only in connection with the provision of treatment to the student, and are not available to anyone other than persons providing such treatment, except that such records can be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of the student's choice.
(5)(A) For the purposes of this section the term "directory information" relating to a student includes the following: the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.
(B) Any educational agency or institution making public directory information shall give public notice of the categories of information which it has designated as such information with respect to each student attending the institution or agency and shall allow a reasonable period of time after such notice has been given for a parent to inform the institution or agency that any or all of the information designated should not be released without the parent's prior consent.
(6) For the purposes of this section, the term "student" includes any person with respect to whom an educational agency or institution maintains education records or personally identifiable information, but does not include a person who has not been in attendance at such agency or institution.
(b) Release of education records; parental consent requirement; exceptions; compliance with judicial orders and subpoenas; audit and evaluation of federally-supported education programs; recordkeeping
(1) No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution which has a policy or practice of permitting the release of education records (or personally identifiable information contained therein other than directory information, as defined in paragraph (5) of subsection (a)) of students without the written consent of their parents to any individual, agency, or organization, other than to the following—
(A) other school officials, including teachers within the educational institution or local educational agency, who have been determined by such agency or institution to have legitimate educational interests, including the educational interests of the child for whom consent would otherwise be required;
(B) officials of other schools or school systems in which the student seeks or intends to enroll, upon condition that the student's parents be notified of the transfer, receive a copy of the record if desired, and have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record;
(C)(i) authorized representatives of (I) the Comptroller General of the United States, (II) the Secretary, or (III) State educational authorities, under the conditions set forth in paragraph (3), or (ii) authorized representatives of the Attorney General for law enforcement purposes under the same conditions as apply to the Secretary under paragraph (3);
(D) in connection with a student's application for, or receipt of, financial aid;
(E) State and local officials or authorities to whom such information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute adopted—
(i) before November 19, 1974, if the allowed reporting or disclosure concerns the juvenile justice system and such system's ability to effectively serve the student whose records are released, or
(ii) after November 19, 1974, if—
(I) the allowed reporting or disclosure concerns the juvenile justice system and such system's ability to effectively serve, prior to adjudication, the student whose records are released; and
(II) the officials and authorities to whom such information is disclosed certify in writing to the educational agency or institution that the information will not be disclosed to any other party except as provided under State law without the prior written consent of the parent of the student.1
(F) organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, if such studies are conducted in such a manner as will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by persons other than representatives of such organizations and such information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purpose for which it is conducted;
(G) accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions;
(H) parents of a dependent student of such parents, as defined in
(I) subject to regulations of the Secretary, in connection with an emergency, appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons;
(J)(i) the entity or persons designated in a Federal grand jury subpoena, in which case the court shall order, for good cause shown, the educational agency or institution (and any officer, director, employee, agent, or attorney for such agency or institution) on which the subpoena is served, to not disclose to any person the existence or contents of the subpoena or any information furnished to the grand jury in response to the subpoena; and
(ii) the entity or persons designated in any other subpoena issued for a law enforcement purpose, in which case the court or other issuing agency may order, for good cause shown, the educational agency or institution (and any officer, director, employee, agent, or attorney for such agency or institution) on which the subpoena is served, to not disclose to any person the existence or contents of the subpoena or any information furnished in response to the subpoena;
(K) the Secretary of Agriculture, or authorized representative from the Food and Nutrition Service or contractors acting on behalf of the Food and Nutrition Service, for the purposes of conducting program monitoring, evaluations, and performance measurements of State and local educational and other agencies and institutions receiving funding or providing benefits of 1 or more programs authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (
(i) any data collected under this subparagraph shall be protected in a manner that will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by other than the authorized representatives of the Secretary; and
(ii) any personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when the data are no longer needed for program monitoring, evaluations, and performance measurements; and
(L) an agency caseworker or other representative of a State or local child welfare agency, or tribal organization (as defined in
Nothing in subparagraph (E) of this paragraph shall prevent a State from further limiting the number or type of State or local officials who will continue to have access thereunder.
(2) No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution which has a policy or practice of releasing, or providing access to, any personally identifiable information in education records other than directory information, or as is permitted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, unless—
(A) there is written consent from the student's parents specifying records to be released, the reasons for such release, and to whom, and with a copy of the records to be released to the student's parents and the student if desired by the parents, or
(B) except as provided in paragraph (1)(J), such information is furnished in compliance with judicial order, or pursuant to any lawfully issued subpoena, upon condition that parents and the students are notified of all such orders or subpoenas in advance of the compliance therewith by the educational institution or agency, except when a parent is a party to a court proceeding involving child abuse and neglect (as defined in section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (
(3) Nothing contained in this section shall preclude authorized representatives of (A) the Comptroller General of the United States, (B) the Secretary, or (C) State educational authorities from having access to student or other records which may be necessary in connection with the audit and evaluation of Federally-supported education programs, or in connection with the enforcement of the Federal legal requirements which relate to such programs: Provided, That except when collection of personally identifiable information is specifically authorized by Federal law, any data collected by such officials shall be protected in a manner which will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by other than those officials, and such personally identifiable data shall be destroyed when no longer needed for such audit, evaluation, and enforcement of Federal legal requirements.
(4)(A) Each educational agency or institution shall maintain a record, kept with the education records of each student, which will indicate all individuals (other than those specified in paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection), agencies, or organizations which have requested or obtained access to a student's education records maintained by such educational agency or institution, and which will indicate specifically the legitimate interest that each such person, agency, or organization has in obtaining this information. Such record of access shall be available only to parents, to the school official and his assistants who are responsible for the custody of such records, and to persons or organizations authorized in, and under the conditions of, clauses (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) as a means of auditing the operation of the system.
(B) With respect to this subsection, personal information shall only be transferred to a third party on the condition that such party will not permit any other party to have access to such information without the written consent of the parents of the student. If a third party outside the educational agency or institution permits access to information in violation of paragraph (2)(A), or fails to destroy information in violation of paragraph (1)(F), the educational agency or institution shall be prohibited from permitting access to information from education records to that third party for a period of not less than five years.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit State and local educational officials from having access to student or other records which may be necessary in connection with the audit and evaluation of any federally or State supported education program or in connection with the enforcement of the Federal legal requirements which relate to any such program, subject to the conditions specified in the proviso in paragraph (3).
(6)(A) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an institution of postsecondary education from disclosing, to an alleged victim of any crime of violence (as that term is defined in
(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an institution of postsecondary education from disclosing the final results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by such institution against a student who is an alleged perpetrator of any crime of violence (as that term is defined in
(C) For the purpose of this paragraph, the final results of any disciplinary proceeding—
(i) shall include only the name of the student, the violation committed, and any sanction imposed by the institution on that student; and
(ii) may include the name of any other student, such as a victim or witness, only with the written consent of that other student.
(7)(A) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit an educational institution from disclosing information provided to the institution under section 14071 2 of title 42 concerning registered sex offenders who are required to register under such section.
(B) The Secretary shall take appropriate steps to notify educational institutions that disclosure of information described in subparagraph (A) is permitted.
(c) Surveys or data-gathering activities; regulations
Not later than 240 days after October 20, 1994, the Secretary shall adopt appropriate regulations or procedures, or identify existing regulations or procedures, which protect the rights of privacy of students and their families in connection with any surveys or data-gathering activities conducted, assisted, or authorized by the Secretary or an administrative head of an education agency. Regulations established under this subsection shall include provisions controlling the use, dissemination, and protection of such data. No survey or data-gathering activities shall be conducted by the Secretary, or an administrative head of an education agency under an applicable program, unless such activities are authorized by law.
(d) Students' rather than parents' permission or consent
For the purposes of this section, whenever a student has attained eighteen years of age, or is attending an institution of postsecondary education, the permission or consent required of and the rights accorded to the parents of the student shall thereafter only be required of and accorded to the student.
(e) Informing parents or students of rights under this section
No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution unless such agency or institution effectively informs the parents of students, or the students, if they are eighteen years of age or older, or are attending an institution of postsecondary education, of the rights accorded them by this section.
(f) Enforcement; termination of assistance
The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to enforce this section and to deal with violations of this section, in accordance with this chapter, except that action to terminate assistance may be taken only if the Secretary finds there has been a failure to comply with this section, and he has determined that compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means.
(g) Office and review board; creation; functions
The Secretary shall establish or designate an office and review board within the Department for the purpose of investigating, processing, reviewing, and adjudicating violations of this section and complaints which may be filed concerning alleged violations of this section. Except for the conduct of hearings, none of the functions of the Secretary under this section shall be carried out in any of the regional offices of such Department.
(h) Disciplinary records; disclosure
Nothing in this section shall prohibit an educational agency or institution from—
(1) including appropriate information in the education record of any student concerning disciplinary action taken against such student for conduct that posed a significant risk to the safety or well-being of that student, other students, or other members of the school community; or
(2) disclosing such information to teachers and school officials, including teachers and school officials in other schools, who have legitimate educational interests in the behavior of the student.
(i) Drug and alcohol violation disclosures
(1) In general
Nothing in this Act or the Higher Education Act of 1965 [
(A) the student is under the age of 21; and
(B) the institution determines that the student has committed a disciplinary violation with respect to such use or possession.
(2) State law regarding disclosure
Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to supersede any provision of State law that prohibits an institution of higher education from making the disclosure described in subsection (a).
(j) Investigation and prosecution of terrorism
(1) In general
Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (i) or any provision of State law, the Attorney General (or any Federal officer or employee, in a position not lower than an Assistant Attorney General, designated by the Attorney General) may submit a written application to a court of competent jurisdiction for an ex parte order requiring an educational agency or institution to permit the Attorney General (or his designee) to—
(A) collect education records in the possession of the educational agency or institution that are relevant to an authorized investigation or prosecution of an offense listed in
(B) for official purposes related to the investigation or prosecution of an offense described in paragraph (1)(A), retain, disseminate, and use (including as evidence at trial or in other administrative or judicial proceedings) such records, consistent with such guidelines as the Attorney General, after consultation with the Secretary, shall issue to protect confidentiality.
(2) Application and approval
(A)
(B) The court shall issue an order described in paragraph (1) if the court finds that the application for the order includes the certification described in subparagraph (A).
(3) Protection of educational agency or institution
An educational agency or institution that, in good faith, produces education records in accordance with an order issued under this subsection shall not be liable to any person for that production.
(4) Record-keeping
Subsection (b)(4) does not apply to education records subject to a court order under this subsection.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(K), is act June 4, 1946, ch. 281,
The Child Nutrition Act of 1966, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(K), is
Section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(B), is section 3 of
This Act, referred to in subsec. (i)(1), is
The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (i)(1), is
Prior Provisions
A prior section 444 of
Amendments
2013—Subsec. (b)(1)(L).
Subsec. (b)(2)(B).
2010—Subsec. (b)(1)(K).
2002—Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(1)(J).
Subsec. (b)(7).
2001—Subsec. (j).
2000—Subsec. (b)(7).
1998—Subsec. (b)(1)(C).
Subsec. (b)(6).
Subsec. (i).
1994—Subsec. (a)(1)(B).
Subsec. (a)(1)(C).
Subsec. (a)(1)(D).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(4)(B)(ii).
Subsec. (b)(1)(A).
Subsec. (b)(1)(C).
Subsec. (b)(1)(E).
Subsec. (b)(1)(H).
Subsec. (b)(1)(J).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (b)(2)(B).
Subsec. (b)(3).
Subsec. (b)(4).
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (d).
Subsec. (e).
Subsec. (f).
Subsec. (g).
Subsec. (h).
1992—Subsec. (a)(4)(B)(ii).
1990—Subsec. (b)(6).
1979—Subsec. (b)(5).
1974—Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2).
Subsec. (a)(3) to (6).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (b)(3).
Subsec. (b)(4).
Subsec. (e).
Subsec. (g).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2010 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Effective Date of 1979 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1974 Amendment
Effective Date
1 So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.
2 See References in Text note below.
§1232h. Protection of pupil rights
(a) Inspection of instructional materials by parents or guardians
All instructional materials, including teacher's manuals, films, tapes, or other supplementary material which will be used in connection with any survey, analysis, or evaluation as part of any applicable program shall be available for inspection by the parents or guardians of the children.
(b) Limits on survey, analysis, or evaluations
No student shall be required, as part of any applicable program, to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning—
(1) political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent;
(2) mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family;
(3) sex behavior or attitudes;
(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers;
(7) religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student's parent; or
(8) income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program),
without the prior consent of the student (if the student is an adult or emancipated minor), or in the case of an unemancipated minor, without the prior written consent of the parent.
(c) Development of local policies concerning student privacy, parental access to information, and administration of certain physical examinations to minors
(1) Development and adoption of local policies
Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b), a local educational agency that receives funds under any applicable program shall develop and adopt policies, in consultation with parents, regarding the following:
(A)(i) The right of a parent of a student to inspect, upon the request of the parent, a survey created by a third party before the survey is administered or distributed by a school to a student; and
(ii) any applicable procedures for granting a request by a parent for reasonable access to such survey within a reasonable period of time after the request is received.
(B) Arrangements to protect student privacy that are provided by the agency in the event of the administration or distribution of a survey to a student containing one or more of the following items (including the right of a parent of a student to inspect, upon the request of the parent, any survey containing one or more of such items):
(i) Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student's parent.
(ii) Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family.
(iii) Sex behavior or attitudes.
(iv) Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior.
(v) Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships.
(vi) Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers.
(vii) Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or the student's parent.
(viii) Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program).
(C)(i) The right of a parent of a student to inspect, upon the request of the parent, any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum for the student; and
(ii) any applicable procedures for granting a request by a parent for reasonable access to instructional material within a reasonable period of time after the request is received.
(D) The administration of physical examinations or screenings that the school or agency may administer to a student.
(E) The collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the purpose of marketing or for selling that information (or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose), including arrangements to protect student privacy that are provided by the agency in the event of such collection, disclosure, or use.
(F)(i) The right of a parent of a student to inspect, upon the request of the parent, any instrument used in the collection of personal information under subparagraph (E) before the instrument is administered or distributed to a student; and
(ii) any applicable procedures for granting a request by a parent for reasonable access to such instrument within a reasonable period of time after the request is received.
(2) Parental notification
(A) Notification of policies
The policies developed by a local educational agency under paragraph (1) shall provide for reasonable notice of the adoption or continued use of such policies directly to the parents of students enrolled in schools served by that agency. At a minimum, the agency shall—
(i) provide such notice at least annually, at the beginning of the school year, and within a reasonable period of time after any substantive change in such policies; and
(ii) offer an opportunity for the parent (and for purposes of an activity described in subparagraph (C)(i), in the case of a student of an appropriate age, the student) to opt the student out of participation in an activity described in subparagraph (C).
(B) Notification of specific events
The local educational agency shall directly notify the parent of a student, at least annually at the beginning of the school year, of the specific or approximate dates during the school year when activities described in subparagraph (C) are scheduled, or expected to be scheduled.
(C) Activities requiring notification
The following activities require notification under this paragraph:
(i) Activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the purpose of marketing or for selling that information (or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose).
(ii) The administration of any survey containing one or more items described in clauses (i) through (viii) of paragraph (1)(B).
(iii) Any nonemergency, invasive physical examination or screening that is—
(I) required as a condition of attendance;
(II) administered by the school and scheduled by the school in advance; and
(III) not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student, or of other students.
(3) Existing policies
A local educational agency need not develop and adopt new policies if the State educational agency or local educational agency has in place, on January 8, 2002, policies covering the requirements of paragraph (1). The agency shall provide reasonable notice of such existing policies to parents and guardians of students, in accordance with paragraph (2).
(4) Exceptions
(A) Educational products or services
Paragraph (1)(E) does not apply to the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the exclusive purpose of developing, evaluating, or providing educational products or services for, or to, students or educational institutions, such as the following:
(i) College or other postsecondary education recruitment, or military recruitment.
(ii) Book clubs, magazines, and programs providing access to low-cost literary products.
(iii) Curriculum and instructional materials used by elementary schools and secondary schools.
(iv) Tests and assessments used by elementary schools and secondary schools to provide cognitive, evaluative, diagnostic, clinical, aptitude, or achievement information about students (or to generate other statistically useful data for the purpose of securing such tests and assessments) and the subsequent analysis and public release of the aggregate data from such tests and assessments.
(v) The sale by students of products or services to raise funds for school-related or education-related activities.
(vi) Student recognition programs.
(B) State law exception
The provisions of this subsection—
(i) shall not be construed to preempt applicable provisions of State law that require parental notification; and
(ii) do not apply to any physical examination or screening that is permitted or required by an applicable State law, including physical examinations or screenings that are permitted without parental notification.
(5) General provisions
(A) Rules of construction
(i) This section does not supersede
(ii) Paragraph (1)(D) does not apply to a survey administered to a student in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (
(B) Student rights
The rights provided to parents under this section transfer to the student when the student turns 18 years old, or is an emancipated minor (under an applicable State law) at any age.
(C) Information activities
The Secretary shall annually inform each State educational agency and each local educational agency of the educational agency's obligations under this section and
(D) Funding
A State educational agency or local educational agency may use funds provided under part A of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [
(6) Definitions
As used in this subsection:
(A) Instructional material
The term "instructional material" means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, including printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). The term does not include academic tests or academic assessments.
(B) Invasive physical examination
The term "invasive physical examination" means any medical examination that involves the exposure of private body parts, or any act during such examination that includes incision, insertion, or injection into the body, but does not include a hearing, vision, or scoliosis screening.
(C) Local educational agency
The term "local educational agency" means an elementary school, secondary school, school district, or local board of education that is the recipient of funds under an applicable program, but does not include a postsecondary institution.
(D) Parent
The term "parent" includes a legal guardian or other person standing in loco parentis (such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally responsible for the welfare of the child).
(E) Personal information
The term "personal information" means individually identifiable information including—
(i) a student or parent's first and last name;
(ii) a home or other physical address (including street name and the name of the city or town);
(iii) a telephone number; or
(iv) a Social Security identification number.
(F) Student
The term "student" means any elementary school or secondary school student.
(G) Survey
The term "survey" includes an evaluation.
(d) Notice
Educational agencies and institutions shall give parents and students effective notice of their rights under this section.
(e) Enforcement
The Secretary shall take such action as the Secretary determines appropriate to enforce this section, except that action to terminate assistance provided under an applicable program shall be taken only if the Secretary determines that—
(1) there has been a failure to comply with such section; and
(2) compliance with such section cannot be secured by voluntary means.
(f) Office and review board
The Secretary shall establish or designate an office and review board within the Department of Education to investigate, process, review, and adjudicate violations of the rights established under this section.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(5)(A)(ii), is title VI of
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (c)(5)(D), is
Prior Provisions
A prior section 445 of
Amendments
2015—Subsec. (c)(5)(D).
2002—Subsec. (b)(1) to (8).
"(1) political affiliations;
"(2) mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or his family;
"(3) sex behavior and attitudes;
"(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;
"(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
"(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; or
"(7) income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program),".
Subsec. (c) to (f).
1994—
1978—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2015 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date of 1978 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
§1232i. Limitations on withholding of Federal assistance
(a) Refusal to supply personal data on students or families
Except as provided in
(b) Noncompliance with nondiscrimination provisions of Federal law
The extension of Federal financial assistance to a local educational agency may not be limited, deferred, or terminated by the Secretary on the ground of noncompliance with title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [
(1) at least 30 days prior written notice of deferral to the agency, setting forth the particular program or programs which the Secretary finds to be operated in noncompliance with a specific provision of Federal law;
(2) the opportunity for a hearing on the record before a duly appointed administrative law judge within a 60-day period (unless such period is extended by mutual consent of the Secretary and such agency) from the commencement of any deferral;
(3) the conclusion of such hearing and the rendering of a decision on the merits by the administrative law judge within a period not to exceed 90 days from the commencement of such hearing, unless the judge finds by a decision that such hearing cannot be concluded or such decision cannot be rendered within such period, in which case such judge may extend such period for not to exceed 60 additional days;
(4) the limitation of any deferral of Federal financial assistance which may be imposed by the Secretary to a period not to exceed 15 days after the rendering of such decision unless there has been an express finding on such record that such agency has failed to comply with any such nondiscrimination provision of Federal law; and
(5) procedures, which shall be established by the Secretary, to ensure the availability of sufficient funds, without regard to any fiscal year limitations, to comply with the decision of such judge.
(c) Failure to comply with imposition of quotas
It shall be unlawful for the Secretary to defer or limit any Federal financial assistance on the basis of any failure to comply with the imposition of quotas (or any other numerical requirements which have the effect of imposing quotas) on the student admission practices of an institution of higher education or community college receiving Federal financial assistance.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (b), is
Prior Provisions
A prior section 446 of
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (a).
1976—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1976 Amendment
Amendment by
Effective Date
§1232j. Prohibition on federally sponsored testing
(a) General prohibition
Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal law and except as provided in subsection (b), no funds provided to the Department of Education or to an applicable program, may be used to pilot test, field test, implement, administer or distribute in any way any federally sponsored national test in reading, mathematics, or any other subject that is not specifically and explicitly provided for in authorizing legislation enacted into law.
(b) Exceptions
Subsection (a) shall not apply to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study or other international comparative assessments developed under the authority of
(
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 447 of
Prior sections 1233 to 1233h comprising a former subchapter IV of this chapter were repealed by
Section 1233,
Section 1233a,
Section 1233b,
Section 1233c,
Section 1233d,
Section 1233e,
Section 1233f,
Section 1233g,
Section 1233h,
Amendments
2002—Subsec. (b).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by