How Does Your District/School Secure Parental Consent for the use of ACT/CIE/IB/SAT/AP Information for College and University Recruitment?

The NAFEPA Hive | December 2018

Issue: This brief survey asks about your district's parental consent practices for the use of ACT/CIE/IB/SAT/AP information for postsecondary student recruitment. The recruitment refers to the use of such information by a college/university to advertise their school to students.

There is interest in the issues because some states are using public funds to help low-income students pay for ACT/CIE/IB/SAT/AP and more of these exams are part of the state accountability framework. This is triggering a closer review of how schools balance student privacy with student exposure to viable higher education opportunities.

The Responses Benefit the NAFEPA Scholarship Fund. Whiteboard Advisors is contributing to the NAFEPA scholarship fund (http://www.nafepa.org/Scholarships) for the completion of the survey. The more responses, the better. The answers will be shared with the respondents and with the NAFEPA board. Please direct any questions or comments to David@whiteboardadvisors.com

Who should fill this out? The individual best suited to complete the survey may be the person who manages AP/IB/CIE (accelerated learning program funds) and/or the individual managing student privacy and parental communication matters. It would be wonderful if this person could spend 2 minutes filling this out.

Question Title

* 1. WHICH ENTITY? Are parental consent forms for student privacy most frequently collected by the district or school officials?

District

School

Both (estimated to be an equal split).

Clarifying Comments

Question Title

* 2. THE PROCESS: Generally, does your district have a process to collect prior written parental consent? Assume that there are multiple events and/or services that require consent, like an AP exam, a college and career ready survey, and other events throughout the school year.

No established system. The districts does not have an established practice to collect prior parental consent.

A Singular Gathering. The LEA or school collects consent for most requirements at a certain time of year, when possible. For example, the district or school will try to secure all known consent forms during the beginning of the year or at enrollment.

Periodic Gathers. The LEA or school collects consent for most requirements in intervals, when possible. For example, the district or school will try to secure all known consent forms every 4 months.

As Needed. The LEA or school collects consent for most requirements on a case by case basis and at the time of need for that consent. For example, the district will try to secure parental consent prior to the event that originates the need for it.

Clarifying Comments

Question Title

* 3. COLLEGE PROFILE SURVEYS: Consider exams/programs where the vendor shares exam results and/or student profile information with a college or university for the purposes of recruitment. Does your district have an established method to collect the necessary parental consent?

No. No established practice.

Yes. The district has an established practice.

Do not know.

Clarifying Comments:

Question Title

* 4. YOUR CONCERN LEVEL. Assume your LEA is working with an organization that facilitates college readiness. The contract for this work explicitly addresses how the organization sends information to colleges/universities for the purposes of admissions/exam credit and recruitment. All parties are acting within all laws and requirements. There are no surprises in the process. Notwithstanding - what is your level of concern/attentiveness when a third-party organization is sending:

	1 No Concern	2	3	4	5 Extreme Concern
Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY	Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 1 No Concern	Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 2	Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 3	Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 4	Exam scores to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 5 Extreme Concern
Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION	Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 1 No Concern	Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 2	Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 3	Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 4	Exam scores to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 5 Extreme Concern
Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY	Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 1 No Concern	Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 2	Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 3	Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 4	Student interest and demographic information to a COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY 5 Extreme Concern
Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION	Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 1 No Concern	Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 2	Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 3	Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 4	Student interest and demographic information to a SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION 5 Extreme Concern

Clarifying Comments

Question Title

* 5. MOST PRACTICAL WAY TO SECURE CONSENT: In your opinion, which method of securing parental consent is most practical for your LEA/school? Assume the consent is for a student survey that will go to colleges and universities for recruitment to a college or university. The student takes the survey prior to an exam. In the comment section, please describe your thoughts on the best way to secure parental consent.

	1 Not practical	2	3	4	5 Very practical
Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form.	Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form. 1 Not practical	Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form. 2	Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form. 3	Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form. 4	Online. An online resource that parents can access prior to the exam. Parents through an online form. 5 Very practical
Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email.	Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email. 1 Not practical	Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email. 2	Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email. 3	Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email. 4	Email. Emails to parents as soon as the student signs up for the exam or program. Parents respond via email. 5 Very practical
Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials.	Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials. 1 Not practical	Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials. 2	Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials. 3	Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials. 4	Paper. Send paper consent forms home with students prior to the exam. Parents are responsible for getting the signed document back to school officials. 5 Very practical
Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective.	Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective. 1 Not practical	Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective. 2	Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective. 3	Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective. 4	Multiple Mediums. Given the range of parental preferences and access, a mix of paper and electronic is most likely to be effective. 5 Very practical

Please explain how you would like to see an LEA or school secure parental consent.

Question Title

* 6. MOST PRACTICAL WAY TO MANAGE NON-CONSENT: Assume some parents DO NOT provide consent to a survey/data collection prior to an exam. Which ways to filter the non-consenting parties are practical for your LEA/school?

	1 Not practical	2	3	4	5 Very practical
Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented	Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented 1 Not practical	Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented 2	Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented 3	Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented 4	Student Sorting: At the time of the exam, instruct the students to fill out information only if their parents consented 5 Very practical
Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student	Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student 1 Not practical	Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student 2	Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student 3	Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student 4	Staff Sorting: Prior to the exam, school staff remove the surveys if there is not parental consent for the student 5 Very practical
Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting.	Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting. 1 Not practical	Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting. 2	Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting. 3	Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting. 4	Vendor Sorting: District staff create a system that flags non-consent for the vendor prior to distribution of exams/items. The vendor conducts the sorting. 5 Very practical

Please describe how you would like to see non-consent managed.

Question Title

* 7. May we contact you if we have a brief follow-up question? (If we do have a question we promise to make it very brief).

Yes

Best email address or contact number:

Question Title

* 8. About my LEA

Organization (optional)

City/Town

State/Province

Estimated Total Student Enrollment