§ 6

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-356 ) Sec. 6. (a) No school student records or information contained therein may be released, transferred, disclosed or otherwise disseminated, except as follows: (1) to a parent or student or person specifically designated as a representative by a parent, as provided in paragraph (a) of Section 5; (2) to an employee or official of the school or school district or State Board with current demonstrable educational or administrative interest in the student, in furtherance of such interest; (3) to the official records custodian of another school within Illinois or an official with similar responsibilities of a school outside Illinois, in which the student has enrolled, or intends to enroll, upon the request of such official or student; (4) to any person for the purpose of research, statistical reporting, or planning, provided that such research, statistical reporting, or planning is permissible under and undertaken in accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g); (5) pursuant to a court order, provided that the parent shall be given prompt written notice upon receipt of such order of the terms of the order, the nature and substance of the information proposed to be released in compliance with such order and an opportunity to inspect and copy the school student records and to challenge their contents pursuant to Section 7; (6) to any person as specifically required by State or federal law; (6.5) to juvenile authorities when necessary for the discharge of their official duties who request information prior to adjudication of the student and who certify in writing that the information will not be disclosed to any other party except as provided under law or order of court. For purposes of this Section "juvenile authorities" means: (i) a judge of the circuit court and members of the staff of the court designated by the judge; (ii) parties to the proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and their attorneys; (iii) probation officers and court appointed advocates for the juvenile authorized by the judge hearing the case; (iv) any individual, public or private agency having custody of the child pursuant to court order; (v) any individual, public or private agency providing education, medical or mental health service to the child when the requested information is needed to determine the appropriate service or treatment for the minor; (vi) any potential placement provider when such release is authorized by the court for the limited purpose of determining the appropriateness of the potential placement; (vii) law enforcement officers and prosecutors; (viii) adult and juvenile prisoner review boards; (ix) authorized military personnel; (x) individuals authorized by court; (7) subject to regulations of the State Board, in connection with an emergency, to appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons; (8) to any person, with the prior specific dated written consent of the parent designating the person to whom the records may be released, provided that at the time any such consent is requested or obtained, the parent shall be advised in writing that he has the right to inspect and copy such records in accordance with Section 5, to challenge their contents in accordance with Section 7 and to limit any such consent to designated records or designated portions of the information contained therein; (9) to a governmental agency, or social service agency contracted by a governmental agency, in furtherance of an investigation of a student's school attendance pursuant to the compulsory student attendance laws of this State, provided that the records are released to the employee or agent designated by the agency; (10) to those SHOCAP committee members who fall within the meaning of "state and local officials and authorities", as those terms are used within the meaning of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, for the purposes of identifying serious habitual juvenile offenders and matching those offenders with community resources pursuant to Section 5-145 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but only to the extent that the release, transfer, disclosure, or dissemination is consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; (11) to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services in furtherance of the requirements of Section 2-3.131, 3-14.29, 10-28, or 34-18.26 of the School Code or Section 10 of the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act; (12) to the State Board or another State government agency or between or among State government agencies in order to evaluate or audit federal and State programs or perform research and planning, but only to the extent that the release, transfer, disclosure, or dissemination is consistent with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g); (12.5) if the student is in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, to the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services; or (13) under an intergovernmental agreement if an elementary school district and a high school district have attendance boundaries that overlap and are parties to an intergovernmental agreement that allows the sharing of student records and information between the districts. However, the sharing of student information is allowed under an intergovernmental agreement only if the intergovernmental agreement meets all of the following requirements: (A) The sharing of student information must be voluntary and at the discretion of each school district that is a party to the agreement. (B) The sharing of student information applies only to students who have been enrolled in both districts or would be enrolled in both districts based on district attendance boundaries, and the student's parent or guardian has expressed in writing that the student intends to enroll or has enrolled in the high school district. (C) The sharing of student information does not exceed the scope of information that is shared among schools in a unit school district. However, the terms of an intergovernmental agreement may place further limitations on the information that is allowed to be shared. (b) No information may be released pursuant to subparagraph (3) or (6) of paragraph (a) of this Section 6 unless the parent receives prior written notice of the nature and substance of the information proposed to be released, and an opportunity to inspect and copy such records in accordance with Section 5 and to challenge their contents in accordance with Section 7. Provided, however, that such notice shall be sufficient if published in a local newspaper of general circulation or other publication directed generally to the parents involved where the proposed release of information is pursuant to subparagraph (6) of paragraph (a) of this Section 6 and relates to more than 25 students. (c) A record of any release of information pursuant to this Section must be made and kept as a part of the school student record and subject to the access granted by Section 5. Such record of release shall be maintained for the life of the school student records and shall be available only to the parent and the official records custodian. Each record of release shall also include: (1) the nature and substance of the information released; (2) the name and signature of the official records custodian releasing such information; (3) the name of the person requesting such information, the capacity in which such a request has been made, and the purpose of such request; (4) the date of the release; and (5) a copy of any consent to such release. (d) Except for the student and his or her parents or, if applicable, the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services, no person to whom information is released pursuant to this Section and no person specifically designated as a representative by a parent may permit any other person to have access to such information without a prior consent of the parent obtained in accordance with the requirements of subparagraph (8) of paragraph (a) of this Section. (e) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the publication of student directories which list student names, addresses and other identifying information and similar publications which comply with regulations issued by the State Board. (Source: P.A. 102-199, eff. 7-1-22; 102-557, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.) (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-356 ) Sec. 6. (a) No school student records or information contained therein may be released, transferred, disclosed or otherwise disseminated, except as follows: (1) to a parent or student or person specifically designated as a representative by a parent, as provided in paragraph (a) of Section 5; (2) to an employee or official of the school or school district or State Board with current demonstrable educational or administrative interest in the student, in furtherance of such interest; (3) to the official records custodian of another school within Illinois or an official with similar responsibilities of a school outside Illinois, in which the student has enrolled, or intends to enroll, upon the request of such official or student; (4) to any person for the purpose of research, statistical reporting, or planning, provided that such research, statistical reporting, or planning is permissible under and undertaken in accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g); (5) pursuant to a court order, provided that the parent shall be given prompt written notice upon receipt of such order of the terms of the order, the nature and substance of the information proposed to be released in compliance with such order and an opportunity to inspect and copy the school student records and to challenge their contents pursuant to Section 7; (6) to any person as specifically required by State or federal law; (6.5) to juvenile authorities when necessary for the discharge of their official duties who request information prior to adjudication of the student and who certify in writing that the information will not be disclosed to any other party except as provided under law or order of court. For purposes of this Section "juvenile authorities" means: (i) a judge of the circuit court and members of the staff of the court designated by the judge; (ii) parties to the proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 and their attorneys; (iii) probation officers and court appointed advocates for the juvenile authorized by the judge hearing the case; (iv) any individual, public or private agency having custody of the child pursuant to court order; (v) any individual, public or private agency providing education, medical or mental health service to the child when the requested information is needed to determine the appropriate service or treatment for the minor; (vi) any potential placement provider when such release is authorized by the court for the limited purpose of determining the appropriateness of the potential placement; (vii) law enforcement officers and prosecutors; (viii) adult and juvenile prisoner review boards; (ix) authorized military personnel; (x) individuals authorized by court; (7) subject to regulations of the State Board, in connection with an emergency, to appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons; (8) to any person, with the prior specific dated written consent of the parent designating the person to whom the records may be released, provided that at the time any such consent is requested or obtained, the parent shall be advised in writing that he has the right to inspect and copy such records in accordance with Section 5, to challenge their contents in accordance with Section 7 and to limit any such consent to designated records or designated portions of the information contained therein; (9) to a governmental agency, or social service agency contracted by a governmental agency, in furtherance of an investigation of a student's school attendance pursuant to the compulsory student attendance laws of this State, provided that the records are released to the employee or agent designated by the agency; (10) to those SHOCAP committee members who fall within the meaning of "state and local officials and authorities", as those terms are used within the meaning of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, for the purposes of identifying serious habitual juvenile offenders and matching those offenders with community resources pursuant to Section 5-145 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but only to the extent that the release, transfer, disclosure, or dissemination is consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; (11) to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services in furtherance of the requirements of Section 2-3.131, 3-14.29, 10-28, or 34-18.26 of the School Code or Section 10 of the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act; (12) to the State Board or another State government agency or between or among State government agencies in order to evaluate or audit federal and State programs or perform research and planning, but only to the extent that the release, transfer, disclosure, or dissemination is consistent with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g); (12.5) if the student is in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, to the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services; (13) under an intergovernmental agreement if an elementary school district and a high school district have attendance boundaries that overlap and are parties to an intergovernmental agreement that allows the sharing of student records and information between the districts. However, the sharing of student information is allowed under an intergovernmental agreement only if the intergovernmental agreement meets all of the following requirements: (A) The sharing of student information must be voluntary and at the discretion of each school district that is a party to the agreement. (B) The sharing of student information applies only to students who have been enrolled in both districts or would be enrolled in both districts based on district attendance boundaries, and the student's parent or guardian has expressed in writing that the student intends to enroll or has enrolled in the high school district. (C) The sharing of student information does not exceed the scope of information that is shared among schools in a unit school district. However, the terms of an intergovernmental agreement may place further limitations on the information that is allowed to be shared; or (14) to the Department of Human Services for the sole purpose of assessing or evaluating the student's eligibility for Medicaid waiver benefits consistent with rules adopted by the Department of Human Services. (b) No information may be released pursuant to subparagraph (3) or (6) of paragraph (a) of this Section 6 unless the parent receives prior written notice of the nature and substance of the information proposed to be released, and an opportunity to inspect and copy such records in accordance with Section 5 and to challenge their contents in accordance with Section 7. Provided, however, that such notice shall be sufficient if published in a local newspaper of general circulation or other publication directed generally to the parents involved where the proposed release of information is pursuant to subparagraph (6) of paragraph (a) of this Section 6 and relates to more than 25 students. (c) A record of any release of information pursuant to this Section must be made and kept as a part of the school student record and subject to the access granted by Section 5. Such record of release shall be maintained for the life of the school student records and shall be available only to the parent and the official records custodian. Each record of release shall also include: (1) the nature and substance of the information released; (2) the name and signature of the official records custodian releasing such information; (3) the name of the person requesting such information, the capacity in which such a request has been made, and the purpose of such request; (4) the date of the release; and (5) a copy of any consent to such release. (d) Except for the student and his or her parents or, if applicable, the Department's Office of Education and Transition Services, no person to whom information is released pursuant to this Section and no person specifically designated as a representative by a parent may permit any other person to have access to such information without a prior consent of the parent obtained in accordance with the requirements of subparagraph (8) of paragraph (a) of this Section. (e) Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit the publication of student directories which list student names, addresses and other identifying information and similar publications which comply with regulations issued by the State Board.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 104-356, eff. 7-1-26.)