The statute’s exceptions allow disclosure of even personally identifiable information from educational records without the consent of the student or parents when information is needed by or for the following:

• State or local juvenile justice officials,
• Organizations conducting educational studies,
• Health and safety emergencies and
• Disciplinary records.

Information on Specific Acts in Student Records
FERPA also controls the use of information regarding particular acts or issues, including violent acts, drug possession, weapons possession, destruction of property, disruptive behavior and psychological or mental health assessments of students at risk for violence (“profiles”), as described below.

Violent Acts
FERPA allows the reporting of violent acts such as homicide, rape, assault, or the imminent threat of such acts. Information regarding such actions by students may be reported voluntarily by the school or upon request by an outside agency.

Drug or Weapons Possession
FERPA allows the reporting of information related to the possession of drugs or weapons by students on school grounds, voluntarily or at the request of outside agencies.

Antisocial or Disruptive Behavior
To the extent disruptive or antisocial behavior includes the destruction of property or vandalism, it may be reported to law enforcement, voluntarily or on request. Other forms of antisocial or disruptive behavior that do not fall into any of the previously mentioned categories will require notification to and consent of the student’s parents before the information can be released to a third party. This type of behavior might include yelling in class, name-calling, disrespect for teachers

for teachers or other school officials, bullying, intimidation or similar behavior that does not reach the level of destruction of property or assault of fellow students or school personnel.

Risk Factor/Behavioral/Threat Assessments: “Profiles”
FERPA does not address this area directly and does not provide an exception for this type of information in a student’s record. Therefore, the release of information on student achievement, behavioral or academic history, personal interests, extracurricular activity or similar background information on a student is governed by the general provisions of FERPA, meaning the release must be accompanied by notification and consent of the student’s parents or guardians. Both the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (U.S. Department of Justice) have expressed grave reservations about the use or misuse of profiles in schools, so extreme caution is recommended. Please contact the Department of Education at:

• www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS or www.treas.gov/uss/; or
• the FBI at www.fbi.gov/library.htm for additional information.

State Law
State law also affects whether a school is required to report information regarding a student’s conduct or may exercise discretion on such matters. Generally, federal statutes and state law require that schools report to law

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