COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 73

November 19, 2002

ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE / SECONDARY

TO:	Principals
FROM:	Patricia I. Wright Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
SUBJECT:	Military Recruitment and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

Congress recently passed legislation that requires high schools to provide to military recruiters, upon request, access to secondary school students and directory information on those students. Both the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 reflect these requirements.

In accordance with those Acts, military recruiters are entitled to receive the name, address, and telephone listing of juniors and seniors in high school. In addition, local education agencies must provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as they provide to postsecondary institutions or to prospective employers.

Local education agencies must provide notice to parents of the types of student information that it releases publicly. The notice must include an explanation of a parent’s right to request that the information not be disclosed without prior written consent. The notification must advise the parent of how to opt out of the public, nonconsensual disclosure of directory information and the method and timeline within which to do so.

If a parent opts out of providing directory information to third parties, the opt out relating to name, address, or telephone number applies to requests from military recruiters as well.

Additional information can be found on the department’s Web site at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/nclb/index.html.

PIW/eh