Use of Student Directory Information
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.
- 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 does not release your student's directory information. Opt-out requests apply to all directory information. The only partial opt-out request accepted is for military recruitment (grades 9-12). To make an opt-out request:
- Submit a letter to your student's school each year by September 29. (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.
Download opt-out letter templates:
Example letter to opt-out of release of all directory information
Example letter to opt-out of release of directory information for military recruitment only
Please note!
Even for students with no FERPA opt-out letter on record, NTPS employees will exercise their best judgment when releasing directory information and seek parent/guardian permission for situations that would be considered outside the realm of typical school-related activities or news. Also, NTPS 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, which are open to the public.