What ethical considerations guide the collection, storage, and sharing of student data in school psychology practice?

• A. Privacy, consent, minimal necessary data, data security, purpose limitation, transparency with families and stakeholders, and FERPA/IDEA compliance.
• B. Data should be shared with all school staff regardless of need.
• C. Data can be stored indefinitely without policy.
• D. There are no ethical considerations for data sharing.

Answer: (A)

Handling student data in school psychology centers on privacy protections and ethical use of information. The best choice embodies the idea that data should be collected and used in ways that respect students’ rights: protect privacy, obtain appropriate consent, collect only what is necessary for a specific purpose, store data securely, limit use to the stated purpose, be transparent with families and stakeholders about what is collected and how it is used, and comply with FERPA and IDEA. These elements come from professional ethics and legal requirements to safeguard educational records, ensure informed control by families, and maintain trust in school services. Data should be shared only with individuals who need it to support the student, not broadly with all staff, and records should not be kept indefinitely without policy.