SOPPA, FERPA, and ISSRA

SOPPA, FERPA, and ISSRA afford parents certain rights with respect to their student's educational records.  They are, in part, as follows:

Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)
The Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) protects the privacy and security of student data when collected by educational technology companies operating online websites, online services, or online/mobile applications. The SOPPA allows data 6 to be used to benefit students, including as a way to provide personalized learning and educational technology. The SOPPA bars the use of student data for targeted advertising and prohibits the sale of student information gathered during the students’ use of the educational technology.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of personally identifiable information (PII) in student "education records" for children regardless of age.  FERPA gives parents/guardians the rights to: (1) inspect and review the student's records maintained by the school; (2) request that a school amend the student’s records; (3) consent in writing to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student's records, except under certain permitted situations; and (4) file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office regarding an alleged violation under FERPA.

FERPA requires that School District 127, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child's education records.  However, School District 127 may disclose appropriately designated "directory information" without written consent, unless you have advised the District to the contrary in accordance with District procedures.  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, such as the District PTO or the yearbook publisher, without a parent's prior written consent.  The primary purpose of the directory information is allow School District 127 to include this type of information from your child's education records in certain school publications.  Examples include:

  • Recognition in a School Newsletter

  • Photograph in Newsletter, Calendar or Website

  • The Yearbook

  • Student Recognition Lists

  • Graduation/Holiday/Band/Choral Programs

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 FERPA.  The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Illinois School Student Records Act (ISSRA) 
The Illinois School Student Records Act (ISSRA) is a state law similar to FERPA and also affords parents/guardians rights concerning their children's school student records and the individually identifiable information in those records. Like FERPA, the two primary purposes of the ISSRA is to ensure parent/guardian access to their child’s records and the confidentiality of student records and the information in those records.