What does the No Child Left Behind Act have to do with student privacy?
A. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) primarily deals with improving standards in education. However, one section of the NCLB requires high schools that receive federal funding to release the name, address, and telephone number of students upon request to military recruiters and institutions of higher education. This information must be disclosed even if a parent has directed the school not to release directory information under FERPA. Under NCLB, schools are also required to inform students and their parents of their right to “opt out” to protect their privacy. If a parent or student does not opt out under NCLB, schools must disclose a student’s name, address, and phone number upon request by military recruiters or institutions of higher education — even if the parent has already opted out under FERPA.
