Pupil Rights

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232h; 34 CFR Part 98) applies to programs that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). PPRA is intended to protect the rights of parents and students in two ways:

• It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors make instructional materials available for inspection by parents if those materials will be used in connection with an ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation in which their children participate; and
• It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors obtain written parental consent before minor students are required to participate in any ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning:

 

  1. Political affiliations
  2. Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and his/her 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
  7. Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program)

 

Parents or students who believe their rights under PPRA may have been violated may file a complaint with ED by writing the Family Policy Compliance Office. Complaints must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to believe that a violation of PPRA occurred. For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. Or you may contact us at the following address:


Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920