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School board hears first reading of Policy 5.15 to expand student data opt-out choices
Summary
The St. Louis Park school board reviewed a first reading of proposed changes to Policy 5.15 to better align the policy with current practice and add opt-out choices for families; staff said the substantive change will come in an updated procedure that integrates choices into PowerSchool.
The St. Louis Park School Board held a study-session first reading of proposed revisions to Policy 5.15, "Protection and privacy of pupil records," focused on giving families more granular opt-out choices for how student information is shared.
At the meeting, Ashley (staff member) said the policy text itself required only small edits but the district plans to change the implementing procedure so families can select which types of data to withhold, and those choices will be recorded in PowerSchool.
"The family fills it out, and it's a it's an opt out of all data," Ashley said, describing the district's current paper form. She said the current practice produces a blanket opt-out that can exclude students from yearbooks and other communications. Teresa Zangle, identified in the meeting as the district's PowerSchool expert, will help build the new annual student-update form so families can choose separate options such as social media, photos and other information-sharing preferences.
Board members asked for clearer language on the opt-out form. A board member identified as Virginia requested that the form specify "exactly what information can and will be shared," noting the district collects both legal and preferred names and that clarity would help families decide which options to select. Ashley said the district will include a clearer description of what data are shared in specific situations, and that state statute controls what certain authorized requesters may receive (for example, military recruiters are allowed to request a student's legal name and parent contact information under current statute).
Staff explained timing and rollout. The annual student-update communication will be distributed in the spring (April or May) ahead of the start of school so families have time to complete opt-outs before the district's internal deadline in the first weeks of school. The district previously moved some forms to Google and is returning much of the student-update process to PowerSchool integration.
No vote was taken; the revision will return to the board for a second reading and approval at the next regular meeting.
The discussion included concerns about unintended consequences of a blanket opt-out (such as exclusion from yearbook or program rosters) and a request from board members that the new form and procedure explicitly list which fields are shared in routine requests and in statutory disclosures.
