When can a school disclose personally identifiable information without consent?

• A. To parents only
• B. When permitted by law and with legitimate educational interests, such as to school officials, or FERPA exceptions or health/safety emergencies
• C. For marketing purposes
• D. To the general public upon request

Answer: (B)

Disclosures of personally identifiable information from a student’s education records are limited. Schools may share PII without a parent’s or student’s consent only in specific, allowed circumstances. The key idea is that the recipient must have a legitimate educational interest or the disclosure must fall under one of FERPA’s exceptions, or be required by law. That includes sharing with other school officials who need the information to do their jobs, or in situations like health or safety emergencies, or other FERPA-listed exceptions. This is why this option is the most accurate: it directly captures when sharing is permitted without consent. It would not apply to marketing or to the general public, and it isn’t simply about sharing with parents without the proper basis.