I'll confirm that last post...in our district, at all schools, the PTO's create the student directories using district database information. Names, address, parents, phone, grade - all included. Unlisted numbers are excluded at the request of the parents.

In the past, we have sent letters into the school and the school will mail them home, we just reimburse for the postage. We make sure the letter is in an envelope, and ready to go. We even offered to run them through the postage machine. The other option is to (typically at meetings and open house or by sending an information survey home w/ students) have the parents give you there mailing or email addresses. Then it doesnt involve the school's information or lists. You have it in the parent's writing directly from the parents.

any school that would willingly provide student and family personal information out for public distribution is irresponsible in my book

It's important to understand that Federal law allows that specific information (student name, address, telephone, awards, etc.) to be publicly available. Actually, if the school defines this as directory information, it would be illegal to withhold it if properly requested by a third party.

Schools do not need a signed release to share anything they have notified you is "directory information". (But families would have to authorize the release of educational records, like grades or SAT scores.)

Schools do have the obligation to notify families what is considered directory information (i.e., public information). And any family has the right to restrict their own information if they make the request in writing.

No one's rights are being violated. Everyone is notified of the situation. Everyone can easily restrict the information.

from Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

"Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school."


At our school we have a directory that parents have to opt into. Before school starts, the school does a mailing to students and allows our PTO to include our first newsletter (1 page)

Also, the district office will provide mailing labels for a fee to organizations who ask. e.g. tutoring business who wants to do a mass mailing.

ptoleader, ferpa is all about protecting privacy, not divulging private infos.
all schools need release signed for parent info to be divulged to others, period. otherwise they are waiting for trouble.

PTO Leader,
I am not familiar with the acronym you referenced, but any school that would willingly provide student and family personal information out for public distribution is irresponsible in my book. That information should remain private. PTO's should have to have a separate authorization to distribute personal information of any family in a handbook, directory or newsletter.