Good Policies

Below are a few things that school districts are doing to protect student/family privacy and focus on a high-quality education.

Options to Protect Student Privacy and Ensure Parental Notification

• Prominently and clearly place the opt-out notification on all versions (English, Spanish, etc.) of the required Emergency Card. In addition, including a flyer in the registration packet can help to ensure notification. Example language can be found here: http://www.themmob.org/lmca/emergency.html (other versions available upon request).

  Emergency card opt-out currently used by districts including:
  San Francisco Unified School District (CA)
  Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (AK)
  Portland School District (ME)
  Alameda Unified School District (CA)
  Hazen Union High School District (VT)
  Pajaro Valley Unified School District (CA)
  Maine School Administrative District #44 (ME)
  Santa Cruz City High School District (CA)
  Winchester Public Schools (MA)
  
  

• Release student info to military recruiters ONLY for 11th and 12th graders (unless they opt-out).

  Used by many school districts nation-wide, including:
  Los Angeles Unified School District (CA)
  Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (AK)
  School District of Philadelphia (PA)
  Santa Cruz City High School District (CA)
  Somerset County Public Schools (MD)
  West Contra Costa Unified School District (CA)
  ...and hundreds more...
  
  

• Do not have a ‘blanket opt-out’ policy - Make it easy to opt-out of having info released to military recruiters, but still allow release of info to colleges and prospective employers.

  Used by many school districts nation-wide, including:
  New York City Public Schools (NY)
  Los Angeles Unified School District (CA)
  Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FL)
  School District of Philadelphia (PA)
  Tucson Unified School District (AZ)
  Milwaukee Public Schools (WI)
  Fairfax County Public Schools (VA)
  DeKalb County Eastern Community School District (IN)
  Putnam County School System (TN)
  Hazen Union High School District (VT)
  ...and hundreds more...
  
  

• Ensure that secondary students (including minors) are able to opt themselves out, as NCLB Sec. 9528 asserts.

  Used by many school districts nation-wide including:
  New York City Public Schools (NY)
  School District of Philadelphia (PA)
  Chicago Public Schools (IL)
  San Francisco Unified School District (CA)
  Fairfax County Public Schools (VA)
  Eastern Pulaski Schools (IN)
  Poudre School District (CO)
  DeKalb County Eastern Community School District (IN)
  Clifton Public School District (NJ)
  Davis Joint Unified School District (CA)
  Forest Hills School District (PA)
  Somerset County Public Schools (MD)
  Canon-McMillan School District (PA)
  Eugene School District 4J (OR)
  Calvert County Public Schools (MD)
  Santa Cruz City School District (CA)
  
  

• Make every reasonable effort to notify students/parents of their right to privacy, possibly including prominently displaying the opt-out option on district and high school websites and in every high school office.

  Used by many school districts nationwide, including:
  New York City Public Schools (NY)
  Putnam County School System (TN)
  Montclair Public Schools (NJ)
  Weyauwega-Fremont School District (WI)
  DeKalb county Eastern community School District (IN)
  
  

• Limit directory information releases to only include the student's name, phone number, and address (do not include ethnicity, clubs, grades, etc.)

  Used by many school districts nation-wide, including:
  New York City Public Schools (NY)
  Fairfax County Public Schools (VA)
  Denver Public Schools (CO)
  Milwaukee Public Schools (WI)
  Portland School District (ME)
  Hazen Union High School District (VT)
  Eugene School District 4J (OR)
  Davis Joint Unified School District (CA)
  West Contra Costa Unified School District (CA)
  Santa Cruz City High School District (CA)
  ...and hundreds more...
  
  

• Have one opt-out last for a student's entire time in the school/high school district - do not force students to opt-out every year.

  Currently used by districts including:
  Fresno Unified School District (CA)
  Evanston Township High School District (IL)
  Albany Unified School District (CA)
  Center Grove Community School Corporation (IN)
  
  

• Ensure that students know that the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test is optional. As a district, choose Option 8 to keep students’ sensitive information private from military recruiters or do not administer the ASVAB test at all. More information about the ASVAB test can be found here: http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/ASVAB.htm

Other Possible Options That You May Be Interested In:

• Charge all institutions (including military recruiters) for the costs incurred by the district related to the production of student directory information lists. Currently used by Denver Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District.




• Ensure that schools are primarily a safe place for education and that military recruiters receive comparable access to other institutions. Have administrative guidelines for all institutional recruitment visits.

  A few examples:
  

  • Castro Valley Unified School District ensures that all recruiters stay in the Career Center and are supervised by staff while on campus
    
    
  • Madison Metropolitan School District limits all institutional guests to three visits a year.
    
    
  • Whittier Union High School District does not allow recruiters in classrooms, does not allow recruitment Humvees and is developing a pamphlet for students on how to verify recruiters' claims.

  For additional information about access guidelines, click here:

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