Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) takes student data privacy seriously.  As such all DPSCD students and their families, should be aware of the following basic guidelines governing DPSCD data collection and sharing policies:

• No student shall be required, as a part of a school program or the District’s curriculum, without prior written consent of his or her parents (or, if the student is an adult or an emancipated minor, the student themselves) to participate in any survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information potentially concerning the student’s own or family members’:
  • Political affiliations or belief;
  • Mental or psychological problem;
  • Sex behavior or attitudes;
  • Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;
  • Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;
  • Legally recognized/privileged relationships (such as lawyers, physicians, and ministers);
  • Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs; or
  • Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such a program)

• Parents have the right to inspect any survey or evaluation created by a third party that they have provided or are considering providing consent for their student(s) to participate in. Parents may request a copy of any specific third-party survey or evaluation instrument by e-mailing a request to dpscd.research@detroitk12.org.

• In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), DPSCD may under certain circumstances publish or share limited identifiable student information with approved educational partners. This information, specifically defined as “directory information”, may include any or all of the following elements:
  • Student’s name;
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
  • Height and weight, (if member of an athletic team);
  • Date of graduation;
  • Awards received;
  • Honor roll;
  • Scholarships;
  • Telephone numbers and/or addresses (for inclusion in school or PTA directories only);
  • School photographs or videos of students participating in school activities, events or programs

• Parents or guardians have the right to opt out of allowing for the disclosure of any or all information considered “directory information” about their student(s). To do so, parents or guardians should complete this Directory Information Opt-Out Form. Following submission, DPSCD will verify submitted information against parent or guardian information in our official Student Information System and make appropriate adjustments for all verified requests.

• No personally-identifiable student information collected by DPSCD or any individual DPSCD school, outside the parameters of the defined “directory information” above, shall be published or shared with any third parties without prior written consent of a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). This includes information such as course grades, assessment scores, attendance or enrollment records, or any other data regularly collected by DPSCD for the purpose of ongoing student support and educational advancement.

For additional information about DPSCD student privacy and protections, please contact the Office of Research & Evaluation at either dpscd.research@detroitk12.org or 313-873-6065.