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Data Sharing Agreements

Data Sharing Agreements

All Community Based Organizations accessing student level data either through the Student-at-a-Glance Dashboard and the Automated Data Report will need a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) with the school district before identifiable student data can be exchanged.

A new Data Sharing Agreement is required annually. You can download the DSA template below, complete, and return to the School & Community Partnerships team at communitypartnerships@seattleschools.org or mail to MS 33-160, PO Box 34165 Seattle WA 98124.

To open an editable form- please download and save a copy.

Important Dates

We are accepting DSAs for the current school year on an ongoing basis. We will begin accepting DSAs for the 23-24 school year starting June 1, 2023 through May 1, 2024.

Institutional Service Exemption to FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to “school officials with a legitimate educational interest.”

FERPA defines “school official” to include “a contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom an agency of institution has outsourced institutional services or functions.” The District’s annual FERPA notification informs families that a “school official” may include “a volunteer or contractor outside of the school who performs an institutional service or function for this the school would otherwise use its own employees . . . such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist . . .”

A review team comprised of Curriculum & Instruction, Coordinated School Health, Department of Technology Services, Legal, and School and Community Partnerships created a process to safeguard this exemption in which community based organizations (CBOs) can apply for the institutional service (IS) exemption based on the following criteria:

  1. Program or service is for students enrolled in Seattle Public Schools and provided on school grounds;
  2. Program or service is academic or falls within the scope of the district’s K-12 education program;
  3. Program or service is comparable to a program or service provided by the district or is a program or service that would be provided by the district if resources were available;
  4. Program or service is provided directly to/for students;
  5. Program or service is provided consistently for specific students (not drop in).

If your program/service fits the criteria list above and you would like to apply for the institutional service exemption please following the directions listed below.

Note for Clarification:   If your program or service is designated as an institutional service you will not need to collect parent consent forms, however you will need to sign a data sharing agreement, complete the online data stewardship training and/or schedule a time to meet with a member of School & Community Partnerships to discuss data security. You will also need to work with a school designee as the designee must send communitypartnerships@seattleschools.org the list of student IDs and names of students you are serving. Student ID numbers are identifiable data and cannot be emailed by an external email address.

All CBOs must apply for this designation annually.

Important Dates:

  • Institutional Service applications are accepted five times a year and then on an ongoing basis*
  • Application due dates for the 2023-2024 school year are July 21st, August 18th, September 15th, October 13th, and November 9th
  • Anticipated process time from submission date: roughly 2-3 weeks, *review/approval for applications submitted after November 2023 is 4-6 weeks

Questions or new to this process? Please contact School & Community Partnerships at 206-252-0518 or communitypartnerships@seattleschools.org if you would like to request a meeting or phone call to discuss accessing SPS student data or completing the required agreements.