House panel hears bill to let school boards withhold student directory data

The House Education Committee held a first hearing for House Bill 127, which would clarify that local school boards have permissive authority to withhold student directory information from public release.

Representative Matthew(s) (sponsor) told the committee that "this simple and straightforward bill would protect the privacy of Ohio students by granting school boards the permissive authority to withhold student directory information from public release." He said current law classifies that directory information as a public record and creates “unnecessary ambiguity” about whether some requests should be fulfilled.

Vice Chair Odioso, a co-sponsor at the hearing, described the proposal as a clarification rather than a prohibition. "If a school board chooses to continue to release directory information, whether in whole or to certain people or for certain purposes, they can," Odioso said. He added the measure "preserves the existing requirement that schools release the name and addresses for military recruiters upon request unless a student or a parent elects to withhold it."

The bill would define directory information by reference to the statutory definition cited in testimony (ORC section 3319.321) and the sponsors listed common directory items discussed in the hearing: a student's name, address, phone number, birth date, major field of study, participation in sports and extracurricular activities, weight and height, dates of attendance, date of graduation, and awards received. Sponsors said the proposal is permissive: boards that want to continue wider release may do so under uniform local policies.

Committee members asked whether the bill would interfere with historical research or curriculum work by Ohio History Connection. Representative Piccolantonio asked whether the bill's exemption for the Ohio History Connection would allow that organization to receive directory records used for historical research and fourth-grade curriculum. The sponsors said that the intent is to preserve access for long‑term historical research and that they would confirm the bill language and provide that clarification to the committee.

Ranking Member Robinson and other members asked for concrete examples of misuse; sponsors said proponents will appear later in the process and cited local incidents, including press reports involving the Big Walnut School District where directories were reportedly used “outside of the best interests of the students.” Sponsors also confirmed that private schools are not affected by this bill because their directories are not treated as public records under existing law.

The committee did not take a vote; sponsors asked for favorable consideration and the hearing was closed with follow-ups requested on the Ohio History Connection language and on any supporting incident reports.

Ending: Committee staff said they will circulate clarifications about the bill text to members and schedule further testimony at a later hearing.