Public School Works Practice Exam

Disclosures of non-directory information to school officials who have legitimate educational interest are allowed under FERPA. Non-directory information refers to data that isn’t designated as directory info and is usually protected, but it can be shared with school officials who need the information to perform their official duties. A school official can be anyone employed by the district, under contract, or otherwise enrolled or contracted to work for the school, as long as they have a legitimate educational interest in the information. The key idea is need-to-know and relevance to the student’s education. For example, a counselor may need access to health or disciplinary records to provide appropriate support, a teacher may need transcripts to place a student in the right course, or a nurse may review medical histories to supervise care. In these cases, consent from a parent isn’t required for the disclosure because it’s to someone with a role in supporting the student’s education. Parental consent is not the default prerequisite for sharing with school officials who have legitimate educational interest, and emergencies invoke separate exceptions, not the sole basis for disclosure. So this statement is true.