Student Data Privacy
Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA)
Columbia Public Schools utilizes a variety of software applications and web-based tools operated by third-party vendors to support student learning. These resources are vetted through the Technology and Curriculum Departments. Students’ use of these tools is governed by the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA), enacted in 1998 and amended in 2012, with the amendments effective as of July 2013.
The intent of COPPA is to safeguard students’ personal information when accessing online services, including apps and websites directed primarily to audiences under age 13. This legislation applies to a general audience site that acknowledges it is collecting personal information from users under 13.
To allow student access to the application, site, or tool, certain identifiable information, such as the student’s name, login, and/or email account, might be required by the operator. COPPA grants schools the authority to act as the parent’s agent, consenting to the use of student information for educational purposes only. Columbia Public Schools utilizes a variety of tools to verify privacy policies, including the Student Privacy Pledge and the Common Sense Media Privacy Program.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when the student reaches age 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are called eligible students.
Schools may disclose, without consent, directory information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification, such as a special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article, is left to the discretion of each school.
Additional Resources