Public Notice

PROTECTION OF PUPIL RIGHTS AMENDMENT (PPRA)
    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. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parents; or
    8. 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
    Published once at an approximate cost of $22.96.