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North Pocono superintendent lays out student-records protections after federal policy change
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Powell told the board that changes to a 2021 Department of Homeland Security directive prompted district guidance reminding staff that FERPA limits disclosure of student information and that immigration officials need a judicial warrant and, if a warrant is presented, parental consent to interview students on school grounds.
Dr. Powell, superintendent of the North Pocono School District, told the board Wednesday that a federal change prompted the district to update staff guidance on student privacy and interactions with immigration officials.
In a statement read during the Feb. 12 meeting, Dr. Powell said a memo rescinding a 2021 Department of Homeland Security directive that had designated schools as protected areas from immigration enforcement “has changed,” which could raise concerns among students and families. The superintendent said the district is reminding staff that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) “safeguards the disclosure of personally identifiable information without parental consent,” and that federal law supersedes state policies that would require release of student data.
Why it matters: The statement was framed as information for families and staff — not as a change in district policy — and emphasized legal limits on when schools may share student records or permit agency interviews.
Dr. Powell said schools “are not permitted to share student records with immigration or law enforcement agencies without parental consent or a judicial order.” He added that “immigration and customs enforcement officials must have a judicial warrant to enter school property,” and that, if a warrant is presented, parental consent is required before ICE officials may interview any student. The superintendent said the district is providing updated guidance to “essential staff on their responsibilities and the appropriate protocols should ICE officials visit one of our schools,” and described such a visit as “highly unlikely.”
The superintendent also said the district “takes no position regarding immigration policy, but remains committed to complying with all applicable laws while safeguarding the dignity and well-being of all of our students.” He told families that school counselors are available to provide support or to connect families with community resources and encouraged families who need assistance to contact their child’s school office.
The board did not take a formal vote on the statement. No other actions related to immigration enforcement were recorded on the agenda.
