On this page
- How does a child's address leave the school?
- What does the school have to tell you each year?
- What does an opt-out cover, and what doesn't it?
- Which schools and clubs fall outside FERPA?
- What do school apps receive?
- How do photos and location tags reveal the house?
- What should a parent do each school year, and when?
- What stays outside these steps?
- Which sources were reviewed?
How does a child's address leave the school?
Most often it leaves as directory information, which a school can release without consent once it has given parents notice. Rosters, apps and family photos are the other common routes. [2]
| Route | What can be shared | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Directory information | Name, address, telephone listing, email address, photograph, date and place of birth, grade level and dates of attendance. | [1] |
| Activities and sports | Participation in officially recognized activities and sports. For athletic teams, also weight and height. | [1] |
| Military recruiters and colleges | Secondary students' names, addresses and telephone numbers on request, unless a parent has opted out. | [6] |
| School apps and online services | Names and contact information the school gives a provider to create student accounts. | [8] |
| Photos shared by family | Location coordinates stored in the photo file, visible to people you share it with. | [10] [11] |
Directory information never includes a Social Security number. A student ID number counts only when it can't open records without a password or similar factor. [1]
What does the school have to tell you each year?
The school must notify parents every year of their FERPA rights. Before releasing directory information, it must also publish three things. [3] [2]
- The types of information it has designated as directory information.
- Your right to refuse any or all of those types.
- The period in which you must tell the school in writing.
Many schools combine the directory notice with the annual notice of rights. A single notice in a mailing or student handbook can also cover the recruiter disclosure. [8] [6]
The notice may limit directory releases to named parties or purposes. When it does, the school must keep to that limit. [2]
What does an opt-out cover, and what doesn't it?
An opt-out stops the items you name from being released as directory information. It doesn't stop a teacher using your child's name in class. [2]
You also can't use it to refuse a student ID badge the school requires, if the badge shows properly designated information. [2]
An opt-out on name, address or phone number applies to military recruiters too. If you withhold phone numbers from the public, the school can't give them to recruiters. [7]
Information released under the directory exception isn't protected by FERPA. The recipient isn't bound by FERPA's limits on reuse. [8]
After your child leaves, the school must keep honoring an opt-out made while they attended, unless it's withdrawn. [2]
Which schools and clubs fall outside FERPA?
Private and parochial K-12 schools generally fall outside FERPA, because they generally don't receive Department of Education funds. FERPA covers public schools, districts and colleges that do. [5]
At a private school, ask for the written policy on directories, rosters and photos. A league, club or camp run outside the school isn't one of the institutions FERPA names. Ask its organizer who can see the roster and contact list.
When a student turns 18 or enrolls in college, FERPA rights pass from the parent to the student. From then on, the student makes the requests. [4]
What do school apps receive?
A school can give an app provider your child's name and contact details to set up an account. This usually happens under FERPA's school official exception rather than the directory exception. [8]
Under the FTC's COPPA guidance, a school may consent for parents when an app serves only the students and the school. The FTC encourages schools to tell parents which services they have approved. [9]
Ask the school for its list of online services and each provider's notice. Read which details each one collects before the first assignment is due.
How do photos and location tags reveal the house?
A phone photo can store the exact coordinates where it was taken. People you share it with may be able to see them. [10]
On iPhone, turn Location off in the share sheet's Options. To remove it from a saved photo, tap Adjust Info, then Adjust Location, then No Location. [10]
When you share a photo in Google Photos, it shows the location your camera recorded. You can set location sharing separately for each shared album. [11]
Hiding the location doesn't hide the scene. Google notes that people can guess a place from landmarks in the photo. Keep the house number, street sign and school sign out of the frame. [11]
If a search result shows personal information about someone under 18, Google points to its detailed removal request form. [12]
What should a parent do each school year, and when?
Do the directory step first, because it has a deadline set by the school. The rest can follow as teams, apps and photos come up.
| When | Step | Check |
|---|---|---|
| When the annual notice arrives | Read the directory designations and write down the opt-out deadline. | LP-12 |
| Before that deadline | Send the written opt-out for the items you choose. Keep a dated copy. | LP-12 |
| When teams and activities start | Ask who sees rosters, contact lists, heights and weights. | LP-13 |
| Before posting first-day or game photos | Remove location data and keep the house and school out of the frame. | LP-14 |
| When a new app is assigned | Ask which services the school has consented to and read their notices. | [9] |
| When changing schools or districts | Read the new notice. Each district publishes its own designations. | [8] |
| At 18 or college enrollment | Show your child how to file their own requests. | [4] |
Score the whole household in the Stranger Test. Read the full list of checks in the Low Profile Standard.
What stays outside these steps?
An opt-out doesn't recall information the school released before it took effect. It doesn't cover a private club's own lists or photos other parents post.
The Quiet Cleanup covers the records, mail and accounts that tie your family's name to its home, children included. It is $4,500 per household.
General information, not legal advice.
Which sources were reviewed?
Checked October 27, 2026. Scheduled source review January 27, 2027.
- 34 CFR 99.3, definition of directory information.
- 34 CFR 99.37, conditions for disclosing directory information.
- 34 CFR 99.7, annual notification.
- US Department of Education, directory information.
- US Department of Education, to which institutions FERPA applies.
- US Department of Education, notice before disclosure to military recruiters.
- US Department of Education, opt-outs and military recruiters.
- US Department of Education, Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services.
- Federal Trade Commission, Complying with COPPA, questions N.1 and N.4.
- Apple, manage location metadata in Photos.
- Google Photos Help, your photos' locations.
- Google Search Help, find and remove personal info.