When is parental consent required for testing data sharing or assessment results, and what exceptions exist?

• A. Parental consent generally required for outside dissemination of confidential data; exceptions include disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interest and emergencies or mandated reporting; practice varies by jurisdiction.
• B. Consent is never required for anything.
• C. Consent is required for internal sharing among school staff.
• D. Consent is required for testing, but not for assessment results.

Answer: (A)

Parental consent is generally required when sharing confidential testing data or assessment results with parties outside the school or district. The key exceptions are disclosures to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information, and disclosures made in emergencies or when mandated by law. Because policies can differ by state or district, some jurisdictions may have additional protections or allowances. Internally, sharing among school staff who have legitimate educational interest does not require parental consent, and certain outside disclosures are allowed without consent if they fall under permitted FERPA disclosures. Understanding these rules helps protect student privacy while enabling essential educational operations.