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Protection of Pupil Rights

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) governs the administration to students of a survey, analysis, or evaluation that concerns one or more of the following protected areas:

  1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
  2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
  3. Sex behavior or attitudes;
  4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
  5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
  6. Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships such as with lawyers, doctors, or  ministers;
  7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents;
  8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility. 

The PPRA also addresses marketing surveys and other areas of student privacy, parental access to information, and the administration of certain physical examinations to minors. Related parental rights include: 

  • The right to receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of: 
  1. Any other survey seeking information about the above-listed 8 protected areas, regardless of funding source;
  2. Any nonemergency, invasive physical examination/screening that is (i) required as a condition of attendance; (ii) scheduled in advance and administered by the school; and (iii) not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student or other students (except as otherwise required by law)
  3. Activities involving the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the purpose of marketing or selling.
  • Upon request, the right to inspect:
  1. Instructional materials used in connection with a protected/DOE-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation in which their student participates;
  2. Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum;
  3. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes.
  4. The requirements of PPRA do not apply to a survey administered to a student in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and do not supersede any of the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The rights provided to parents or guardians under PPRA transfer to the student when the student turns 18 years old or is an emancipated minor under applicable State law.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State law. Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8520