SRC-AMY S.B. 448 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 448
By: Williams
Education
3/5/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, federal law authorizes a school district to release directory
information if a parent does not provide written notice, every school
year, to the school prohibiting them from doing so.  The amount of
paperwork a parent has to fill out at the beginning of the school year
makes it easy for the parent to unintentionally overlook this requirement.
As proposed, S.B. 448 requires a school district to print selected
sections of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and an
explanation thereof to be printed in bold 14 point text, with a box and
signature line at the bottom of the page that allows the parent to oppose
having school directory information made available to a third party. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 26, Education Code, by adding Section 26.013,
as follows: 

Sec. 26.013.  STUDENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION. (a) Requires a school
district to provide to the parent of each student, at the beginning of
each school year or at enrollment, a written explanation of the Family
Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 regarding the release of
information and written notice of the right of the parent to object to the
release of directory information under the same Act. 

(b) Requires the notice required under Subsection (a)(2) to contain
certain information and language in at least 14-point boldface type. 

(c) Defines "directory information" as having the meaning assigned by the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. 

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act begins with the 2003-2004 school year.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.