FERPA Waiver For Behavioral Health Services

The bill requires the department of education (department) to make available on the department's website to all public schools a waiver form that a parent or legal guardian may use to waive for one school year the provisions of the federal "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974" (FERPA), as necessary to allow school personnel to communicate with behavioral health care providers about a student's health records. The waiver form must include an explanation that signing the waiver is optional. The bill requires public schools to include the waiver form in the materials for pupil registration.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)