Privacy: Parents and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

The Parent or Eligible Student has the right to inspect any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum for the student.

• GCPS does not have a policy that allows parents to opt-out of social emotional learning for their child. SEL instruction is integrated into all aspects of the curriculum and school culture.  
• Curriculum/Lesson Plan Access

1. Parents continue to use their student’s portal to access Nearpod and Navigate 360 SEL related lessons ( “How to Access the Lessons” Quicksheet).
2. Parents reach out directly to the schools to request any other SEL related lesson.

• Should parents wish to opt their child out of the SEL screener, all requests should be made in writing to the school administrator or principal – and need to be resubmitted annually. A federal law, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), allows all students to opt out of surveys.  

The Parent or Eligible Student has the right to inspect any survey created by a third party, prior to the administration or distribution of the survey and the right to opt the student out of participation in any such survey. In addition, before a student may be required to submit to a survey revealing “Protected Information,” the written consent of the Parent or the consent of the Eligible Student is required. Finally, a minor student may not volunteer to submit to a survey revealing “Protected Information” without providing the Parent of the student with prior written notice of the administration of the survey and an opportunity to opt out of the survey. “Protected Information” is information in the following categories:

1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
2. Mental and psychological problems of the student or the student’s 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); or
8. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents.

Parents have the right to notice of any non-emergency, invasive physical exam 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 scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law.