U.S. Department of Education Directs Schools to Comply with Parental Rights Laws

On March 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) issued a Dear Colleague Letter to Chief State School Officers and Superintendents, emphasizing the necessity for educational institutions receiving federal funding to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). This directive underscores the Department's commitment to ensuring that schools adhere to federal laws designed to protect parental rights in education.​

FERPA grants parents the right to access and amend their children's education records, while PPRA provides parents with the authority to consent before their children participate in certain school activities, such as surveys that collect personal information. The Department's letter serves as a reminder to schools of their obligations under these laws and highlights the importance of maintaining transparency and parental involvement in educational settings.​

This initiative aligns with the Department's broader efforts to reinforce parental rights in education. Recently, the Department has been active in addressing concerns related to parental access to information about their children's education. For instance, the Trump administration has initiated investigations into several school districts in Maine for allegedly withholding information about students' gender transitions from parents, potentially violating FERPA. This follows similar investigations in California, reflecting the administration's focus on ensuring that parents have access to pertinent information regarding their children's well-being and educational experiences. ​

Furthermore, the Department has taken steps to eliminate positions and guidance that it deems inconsistent with its current priorities. In January 2025, the Department eliminated the "book ban coordinator" position and dismissed complaints about the removal of "sexually explicit" and "age-inappropriate" materials from schools. These actions are part of a broader effort to restore parental control over children's education and emphasize local governance in educational content decisions. ​

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has articulated a vision for overhauling the American school system that includes expanding parents' roles in education through publicly funded vouchers to private schools, eliminating bureaucratic barriers to empower educators, and focusing on core academic subjects. This vision aligns with President Donald Trump's executive orders supporting the expansion of private-school vouchers and promoting "patriotic education."

As the Department continues to prioritize parental rights, educational institutions are encouraged to review and update their policies to ensure compliance with federal laws and to foster an environment of transparency and collaboration with parents.