503.4E1 Annual Notice Regarding Protection of Student Rights

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) affords parents and students over eighteen (18) years of age and/or students who are considered emancipated minors pursuant to Iowa laws (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the district’s conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams. These include the following rights:

1. The right to consent before a student is required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information surveys”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education (ED):

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parents;
2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;
3. Sex behaviors or attitudes;
4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
5. Critical appraisals of others with whom the respondents have close family relationships;
6. Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors,or ministers;
7.  Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the students or parents; or  
8. Income,  other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

       2. The right to receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of a protected information survey, which concerns any of the protected areas outlined above, regardless of the source of funding of the survey.

        3. The right to receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or any physical examination or screening permitted or required under Iowa law.

        4. The right to receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

        5. The right to inspect, upon request and before administration or use, any of the following information:

1. Protected information surveys of students;
2. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
3. Instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum

         6. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of PPRA. The name and address of the office that administers PPRA is:

               Family Policy Compliance Office

              U.S. Department of Education

              400 Maryland Ave. SW

              Washington, DC   20202-5920

The District will also directly notify, such as through U.S. Mail or e-mail, parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activities or surveys listed below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to consent to or opt his/her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey. The District will provide the Schedule of Activities outlining the activities to which this notice applies, preferably at the same time as the District provides this notice, if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activities and surveys at that time. For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and/or planned activities and surveys that may arise during the school year that are not listed below, and will be provided an opportunity to consent to or opt his/her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey. Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys.

The District will develop policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution purposes. The District will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of the school year and after any substantive changes.

The following is a list of the specific activities and surveys to which this Notice apply:

Iowa Youth Survey, 5th Grade Science “Changing” Day, 6th Grade Science Human Reproduction, 8th Grade Health Human Sexuality

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