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Gresham-Barlow board updates directory-information policy to add 'most recent school attended' as opt-out item
Summary
The board approved changes to Policy JOA to align with recent administrative-rule changes: grade level will be handled as an opt-out item along with photographs while "most recent school attended" was explicitly retained; counsel advised the opt-out approach minimizes FERPA/OAR risk.
The Gresham-Barlow SD 10J board on July 1 approved revisions to Policy JOA (directory information) to align district practice with recent changes to administrative rules.
Board members and district counsel reviewed the policy to reconcile district traditions (yearbooks, athletic listings) with guidance from counsel and changes to the administrative rule (OAR). Counsel recommended removing grade level from the default list of releasable directory information because grade can closely identify students by age, and instead placing grade level and photographs on an explicit opt-out list for parents.
During discussion the board agreed to include "most recent school attended" in the list of allowable directory fields after counsel advised that including that field did not conflict with the OAR. The board moved to approve Policy JOA with "most recent school attended" included; the motion (moved by Blake, seconded by Chris Howlett) passed unanimously in the meeting record.
District staff said the opt-out process will surface grade level and photograph choices during annual verification and initial student registration; staff will follow up with families who check the opt-out to confirm intent so yearbook and event advisors handle exclusions correctly.
District counsel characterized the change as a risk-minimizing approach: "The safest move would just be to put that into the opt-out and give parents that option to check the box," counsel said in the policy discussion. The board's action directs policy implementation through the district's student-information system and parent verification process.
