Federal laws regulate the privacy of student education records. These laws apply to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) they also regulate how state education agencies, such as the Maine DOE, can collect, report, and share data about schools and students.
Contact U.S. DOE Student Privacy Help Desk (Toll-Free): 1-855-249-3072
Student Data Privacy Toolkit
Regulations
Federal Laws:
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FERPA
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
PPRA
Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule
COPPA
State Laws:
Title 20-A, Chapter 13: The Student Information Privacy Act
Title 20-A: Education, Part 3: Elementary and Secondary Education, Chapter 221: School Records, Audits and Reports, Subchapter 1: Student Records
Resources
State Partners: Maine Student Privacy Alliance (MSPA)
Featured Topics:
- FAQs on Photos and Videos under FERPA | U.S. DOE
- FERPA & COVID-19 FAQs | U.S. DOE
Federal Resources:
Access resources about FERPA and how it applies to the various day-to-day operations of public schools at the administrative level: Student Privacy Resources for K-12 School Officials | U.S. DOE
Access student privacy guidance documents, training materials, policy letters, and other resources dedicated to protecting student privacy for all audiences including early childhood educators, education technology vendors, k-12 school officials, parents and students, postsecondary school officials, and researchers: Student Privacy Resources | U.S. DOE
Digital Citizenship:
Digital Citizenship Curriculum | Common Sense Education
What Your Students Really Need to Know About Digital Citizenship | Edutopia
Training
What is Student Data Privacy? (4 min.)
Access training modules, guidance documents, and other student privacy resources for school officials, parents, and other stakeholders: Training Resource Toolkit | U.S. DOE