Definitions, Laws, Policies, and Reporting Requirements

Definitions

"Education Record" are those records that contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

"Student Personally Identifiable Information" or "Student PII" means information that, alone or in combination, personally identifies an individual student or the student's parent/guardian or family and that is collected, maintained, generated, or inferred by the District, either directly or through a school service, or by a school service contract provider or school service on-demand provider. PII includes: 

  • Names of student, student's parents/guardians, or other family members;
  • Student's telephone number and address or the address of the student's family (address includes email address); 
  • A personal identification such as the student's social security number or student registration number; 
  • Personal characteristics or other information which would make the student's identity easily traceable or which would make it possible to identify the student with reasonable certainty; 
  • Records or information received from a source outside of the District where the recipient of such information knows or should know that the same information is maintained by the District as part of the education record of a student.

“Directory Information” is information contained in a student’s education record that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. FERPA requires each institution to define its directory items.

D11's Annual Notification of Parents/Guardians and Student’s Rights Concerning Student Educational Records (the FERPA notice) and Board Policy JRA/JRC designates the following as directory information:

  • Student’s name

  • Date and place of birth

  • Major field of study

  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports

  • Weight and height of members of athletic teams

  • Dates of attendance

  • Degrees and awards received

  • The most recent and previous education agency or institution attended by the student

  • Photographs, video, and audio recordings made during school hours, school events, and other similar information

The annual notice and district policy also explicitly states that student telephone numbers and addresses will not be disclosed as directory information without the written consent of a parent/guardian or eligible student, pursuant to Colorado law. Parents and eligible students maintain the right to refuse the release of any or all of this designated directory information by providing a written statement to the school principal's office.

School service" means an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application that: 

  • is designed and marketed primarily for use in a preschool, elementary school, or secondary school;
  • is used at the direction of teachers or other employees of a local education provider; and
  • collects, maintains, or uses student personally identifiable information

"School service" does not include an internet website, online service, online application, or mobile application that is designed and marketed for use by individuals or entities generally, even if it is also marketed to a United States preschool, elementary school, or secondary school

"School service contract provider" or "contract provider" means an entity, other than a public education entity or an institution of higher education, that enters into a formal, negotiated contract with a public education entity to provide a school service.

"School service on-demand provider" or "on-demand provider" means an entity, other than a public education entity, that provides a school service on occasion to a public education entity, subject to agreement by the public education entity, or an employee of the public education entity, to standard, non-negotiable terms and conditions of service established by the providing entity.

 

Board Policy

 

Laws

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
CIPA addresses concerns about children's access to inappropriate content on the internet and imposes requirements on schools and districts to include internet safety policies and education on Digital Citizenship. 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
A federal law protecting the privacy of student educational records and gives parents certain rights.  School districts are allowed to disclose certain "directory information" for educational purposes.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
COPPA puts requirements on websites and online service operators that collect, use or disclose data from children under 13, including obtaining parental consent in certain circumstances.

Student Data Transparency and Security Act (SDTSA)
The purpose of Colorado's SDTSA law is to increase transparency and security of all Student Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that is collected and maintained. 

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
Requires parental consent for any surveys, assessments, analyses, or evaluations concerning specific protected content areas. 

 

Federal and State Reporting Requirements

In order to meet the requirements of specific federal and state laws, Colorado Springs School District 11 is required to report specific student, school, and district Data to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). For more information regarding what information CDE collects, how it uses this information, and CDE’s data privacy policies, please visit the following links: