I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5871 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 31, 2012 Ms. Bass of California (for herself, Mr. Marino, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Stark, Mr. Cicilline, and Mr. Langevin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To amend the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to provide improvements to such Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Access to Papers Leads to Uninterrupted Scholars Act or the A Plus Act.

2.

Family educational rights and privacy

Section 444(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g(b)) (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) is amended— (1)in paragraph (1)— (A)in subparagraph (F), by inserting or for, or on behalf of, child welfare agencies for the purpose of assessing policies and practices intended to improve educational outcomes for students in foster care after improving instruction,; (B)in subparagraph (J)(ii), by striking and after the semicolon at the end; (C)in subparagraph (K)(ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and (D)by adding at the end the following: (L)a State or local child welfare agency or tribal organization (defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act) when such agency or organization has responsibility for the student’s placement and care, provided that the education records, or the personally identifiable information contained therein, of the student will not be disclosed by such agency or organization except for the purpose and to the extent necessary to address the student’s educational needs. ; and (2)in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting , except when a parent is a party to a child welfare court proceeding, and the order is issued in the context of that proceeding, additional notice to the parent by the educational agency or institution is not required after educational institution or agency.