This document provides an overview of a training session on FERPA, HIPAA, the Public Information Act, and social media for educators. It includes: 1) Descriptions of FERPA, which protects student privacy, HIPAA, which protects personal health information, and public information laws. 2) Examples of how these laws apply in situations like releasing student names, discussing student injuries, and holding student meetings. 3) A discussion of social media tools and guidelines for educators to consider professionalism and separate personal and professional use online.

1. EXTRA-CURRICULAR TRAINING JUNE 3, 2009

2. TWO TOPICS
FOR THE
PRICE OF ONE!
FERPA
HIPPA
Public Information Act
Social Media

3. FERPA, HIPAA, and the
Public Information Act
Brad Domitrovich

4. FERPA
 The Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §
1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law
that protects the privacy of student
education records. The law applies to
all schools that receive funds under an
applicable program of the U.S.
Department of Education.

5. More FERPA ...
 FERPA gives parents certain rights
with respect to their children's
education records. These rights
transfer to the student when he or she
reaches the age of 18 or attends a
school beyond the high school level.
Students to whom the rights have
transferred are quot;eligible students.quot;

6. Even More FERPA ...
 Generally, schools must have written
permission from the parent or eligible
student in order to release any information
from a student's education record. However,
FERPA allows schools to disclose those
records, without consent, to the following
parties or under the following conditions (34
CFR § 99.31):
 School officials with legitimate educational
interest.

7. HIPAA
 The HIPAA Privacy Rule creates
national standards to protect
individuals’ medical records and
other personal health
information.

8. Public Information Act
 Government is the servant, not the
master.
 People are entitled to complete
information, with limited exceptions.
 Government does not get to decide
what is good for the people to know.

9. General Rules of PI
 Information is public unless it fits one of
the exceptions in the statute.
 Applies to information “collected,
assembled or maintained” in connection
with official business.

10. General Rules (continued)
 Includes a book, paper, letter,
document, printout, photo, film,
tape, microfiche, microfilm,
photostat, sound recording, map,
drawing, voice, data or video
representation in computer memory.

11. Student Records
 This chapter does not require the
release of information contained in
education records of an educational
agency or institution except in
conformity with the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
1974. (FERPA)

12. Common Exceptions: I
 Information that is “confidential by
law.”
 Information in a personnel file if the
disclosure would be a “clearly
unwarranted invasion of personal
privacy.”
 Your college transcript, except for degree
obtained and curriculum studied.

13. Common Exceptions: II
 Information pertaining to pending litigation.
 Information that would give a bidder an
advantage.
 Location or appraisal of property under
consideration.
 Home address, phone number of public
employees who exercise “opt out” option.
 SSN.

14. A FERPA Example
 Coach Prince (not his real name)
sends an e-mail to everyone on
the BHS mailing list regarding
players being dismissed at 1:00
PM to go to a game in Austin.

15. A FERPA Example
Please dismiss the following
football players at 1:00 PM
tomorrow.
Deion Landers
Clayton Manning
Dayrle Harmonica

16. A FERPA Example
Please dismiss the following
football players at 1:00 PM
tomorrow.
Deion Landers #102345
Clayton Manning #104325
Dayrle Harmonica #112771

17. A HIPAA Example
One of your students was injured
in a car wreck over the weekend.
She is still in the hospital. You
want to help. You want to let
everyone know about the her
condition. What should you do?
What can you do?

18. One More Example
Mr. Howell (not his real name) is
asked by his captains to get all the
kids together in a circle and
discuss the attitude problems that
“Mary” has. What should Mr.
Howell do?

19. Questions?

20. SOCIAL MEDIA OVERVIEW
FOR EDUCATORS
Presented by
Brad Domitrovich
Presented to
Bandera ISD
Extra-Curricular
Sponsors/Coaches
June 3, 2009

21. HEADLINE NEWS
Teacher disciplined for Facebook postings.
Schoolteacher suspended for Facebook
gun photo.
When young teachers go wild on the web.
MySpace leads police to murder suspect.

22. Social Media Tools
Networking Tools (Linkedin)
Presentation Sharing (SlideShare)
Journal Publishing (Blogger)
Scrapbook Publishing (tumblr.)
Communication Service (twitter)

23. More
Social Media Tools
Video Sharing (YouTube)
Video Sharing (TeacherTube)
Journal Publishing (MySpace)
Journal Publishing (Facebook)

24. Are you in Cyberspace?
WhosTalkin.com
SocialMention.com
Technorati.com

25. USING SOCIAL MEDIA
A L
USE
ON VS. L
S O O
E R H
P SC

26. Social Media Thoughts
Everything you write is a
permanent record of your
professionalism.
Sister St. Catherine - St. Kevin’s School

27. Linked-In strengthens and extends
your existing network of trusted contacts.
Linked-In is a networking tool that
helps you discover inside connections.

30. Social Media Thoughts
Consider maintaining separate
professional and personal sites
with strict limits
on personal information
being made available to students.

31. SlideShare allows you to share your
PowerPoint and Keynote Presentations.
Share publicly or privately.
Add audio to make a webinar.

33. Social Media Thoughts
Tell parents at the beginning of the
school year that you might text-
message students or communicate
with them through the Web, so they
aren't surprised. Make sure they
have an opt-out opportunity if it
makes them uncomfortable.

34. Blogger is a free blog publishing tool for
easily sharing your thoughts with the world.
Blogger makes it simple to post
text, photos, and videos.

37. Social Media Thoughts
Check personal sites regularly if
the public has access to them.
Even if you don't post
inappropriate material, that
doesn't mean your friends won't.

38. If blogs are journals, tumblelogs are scrapbooks.
Tumblelogs are slightly more structured blogs
that make it faster and easier to post to.

41. Social Media Thoughts
Have a collective discussion
as a faculty to consider
the implications of social media
and settle on best practices.

42. Twitter is a service for
friends, family, and co-workers to stay connected
through the exchange of quick answers.

45. Social Media Thoughts
If you’re wondering
“should I post this?” ...
you probably shouldn’t!
Terry Morawski - Mansfield ISD

46. Questions?