Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Model Notice for Directory Information 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Upper Merion Area School District, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records.  However, Upper Merion Area School District may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures.  The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Upper Merion Area School District to include this type of information from your child’s education records in certain school publications.  Examples include:

• A playbill, showing your student’s role in a drama production;
• The annual yearbook;
• Honor roll or other recognition lists;
• Graduation programs; and
• Sports activity sheets, such as for wrestling, showing weight and height of team members.

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent.  Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks.  In addition, two federal laws require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to provide military recruiters, upon request, with the following information – names, addresses and telephone listings – unless parents have advised the LEA that they do not want their student’s information disclosed without their prior written consent.

If you do not want Upper Merion Area School District to disclose directory information from your child’s education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the District in writing by October 1st.  Upper Merion Area School District has designated the following information as directory information: 

• Student’s name
• Address
• Telephone listing
• Electronic mail address
• Photograph
• Date and place of birth
• Major field of study
• Grade level
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Degrees, honors, and awards received