505.4 Assessment Program

ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

A comprehensive assessment program shall be established and maintained to evaluate the total program of the District and to provide better guidance and counseling services to students and their families.  The Board of Directors is responsible for granting approval for the evaluation and assessment program.

The Superintendent, with the assistance of his/her professional staff, shall develop standards and procedures to assess the educational program and student progress within each area of instruction.

Other types of assessments may be administered to individual students or groups of students.  Testing for determining whether a student requires special education shall comply with federal and state laws.  Persons administering individual psychological examinations of students shall hold a license as a school psychologist or be approved as competent to administer individual psychological examinations.

No student shall be required, as part of a program funded by the United States Department of Education, to submit, without prior written consent from the student's parent, to surveys, analysis or evaluation which reveals information concerning:

  • political affiliations and beliefs of the student or the student's parents;
  • mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or the student's family;
  • sexual behavior and attitudes;
  • illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;
  • critical appraisals of other individuals with whom students have close family relationships;
  • legally recognized, privileged and analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers;
  • religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parents; or
  • income, but not including income required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program for or receiving financial assistance under such program.

Date of Revision: October 14, 2019

 

 

Legal References:

Every Student Succeeds Act, 29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.; 20 U.S.C. 1232h; 256.11, 279.8, 280.3, 280.12, 280.14, Code of Iowa; 281 I.A.C. Chapters 12, 41                     

 

Date of Last Review:  October 14, 2019

 

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DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

505.4 Exhibit A Notification Of Rights Under The Protection Of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF PUPIL RIGHTS AMENDMENT (PPRA)

PPRA affords parents certain rights regarding the District’s conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.  These include the right to:

Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas (“protected information survey”) if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education -

  1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
  2. Mental or psychological problems of the student or student’s family;
  3. Sexual behavior or attitudes;
  4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
  5. Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
  6. Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
  7. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
  8. Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of -

  1. Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;
  2. Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and
  3. Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Inspect, upon request and before administration or use -

  1. Protected information surveys of students;
  2. Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and
  3. Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State law.

 

 

NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF PUPIL RIGHTS AMENDMENT (PPRA)

The District will develop and adopt policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes.  The District will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes.  The District will also directly notify, such as through U.S. mail or email, parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activities or surveys noted below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey.  The District will make this notification to parents at the beginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activities or surveys at that time.  For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out of such activities and surveys.  Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys.  Following is a list of the specific activities and surveys covered under this requirement:

  • Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution.
  • Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with:

                        Family Policy Compliance Office
                        U.S. Department of Education
                        400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
                        Washington, D.C.  20202-5901

 

Date of Last Review:  October 14, 2019

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