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Opt Out of Directory Use

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects your student’s personally identifiable information, such as education records, from being disclosed without your consent.

The law allows North Thurston Public Schools to disclose "directory information" without your consent. NTPS does not release ANY student contact information for commercial purposes. 

What is student directory information?

Examples include:

  • Student name, address, and telephone numbers (unless identified as unknown)
  • Any photographs or videos of your student
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Weight, height, and grade level of athletic team members
  • Dates of attendance
  • Degrees, honors, and awards received
  • Schools previously attended

How is student directory information used?

Examples include:

  • Yearbooks
  • District social media posts
  • District websites
  • Videos, including the release of district-created videos to local media
  • Sports teams, rosters, news reports, and other coverage
  • My TRL (online-only Timberland Library Card) www.trl.org 
  • Washington State Immunization Information System (WAIIS) — Required by Washington State.
  • Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) (grades 9-12 only) — Required by Washington State.
  • Institution of Higher Education (grades 9–12 only)
  • Military recruitment (grades 9–12 only) — Required by federal law, but families may request to opt out.

What if I don’t want this information released?

You may request that NTPS not release your student's directory information. Opt-out requests apply to all directory information listed above. The only partial opt-out request accepted is for military recruitment (grades 9-12). Federal law requires secondary schools to provide military recruiters with a list of student names, addresses, and telephone numbers. Parents have the right to request that their child’s name be omitted from that list. Writing an opt-out letter does not prohibit the military from gathering student information from other non-school sources or from having military recruiters speak with your student when on campus.

To make an opt-out request:

  • Submit a letter to your student's school by September 29 each year. (A letter must be submitted each year your child attends a school in NTPS.)
  • If your child enrolls after September 29, you must submit the letter within 10 calendar days after enrollment.

Sample Letter to opt out of release of all directory information

Date:

Subject: FERPA Student Directory Information Opt-Out

As allowed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), I request that neither my school nor North Thurston Public Schools release any personally identifiable information from my child’s records. I understand this includes yearbooks, social media, and websites.

Child’s name:
Child’s grade:
School:
Current school year:

Name of guardian/parent

Sample Letter to opt out of release of all directory information

Date:

Subject: Student Information Opt-Out to Military Recruiters

I request that neither my school nor North Thurston Public Schools release any personally identifiable information from my child’s records to military recruiters.

Child’s name:
Child’s grade:
School:
Current school year:

Name of guardian/parent

Please note!

Even for students with no FERPA opt-out letter on record, NTPS employees will use their best judgment when releasing directory information and seek parent/guardian permission for situations outside the realm of typical school-related activities or news. NTPS also cannot control the release of certain directory information (such as photographs or names) when students participate in school events such as athletics and performing arts that are open to the public.