Which law prohibits school social workers from sharing information with ICE?

• A. HIPAA
• B. FERPA
• C. IDEA
• D. ADA

Answer: (B)

FERPA governs how schools handle the privacy of student education records. It requires that personally identifiable information from a student’s education records not be disclosed to outside parties, such as immigration authorities, without written consent or unless a specific, permitted exception applies. Because a school social worker’s notes and information about a student are typically part of these education records, FERPA sets the rules for whether and when that information can be shared. In most situations, sharing with ICE without proper consent or without meeting a FERPA exception would violate FERPA.

HIPAA deals with protected health information and usually applies to healthcare providers, not the school’s education records. IDEA focuses on confidentiality of records for students with disabilities within the special education process, but FERPA provides the broader privacy framework for all education records. ADA addresses civil rights related to accessibility and discrimination rather than the specifics of sharing student records.