Florida and federal law set the rules for how online educational services may collect and use student information. Here is what applies, in plain language, with links to the official text.
Florida's Student Online Personal Information Protection law (F.S. 1006.1494)
Section 1006.1494, Florida Statutes (2023), applies to companies that run websites, online services, and apps used primarily for K-12 school purposes. Under this law an operator may not use student information to show targeted advertising, build a profile of a student for anything other than school purposes, or sell or rent a student's information. Operators may collect only the information reasonably necessary to run the service, must keep reasonable security practices, and must delete a student's data when the district requests it or after the student is no longer enrolled.
Violations are treated as deceptive and unfair trade practices and are enforced by the Florida Department of Legal Affairs.
Read F.S. 1006.1494
State Board of Education Rule 6A-1.09550
Rule 6A-1.09550 of the Florida Administrative Code (effective September 26, 2023) requires school districts to adopt policies that protect student information when students or parents are required to use an online educational service. Districts must review and approve those services before use, designate who is responsible for approval, and refuse services that share or sell student information for commercial purposes.
For each required service, the district must post notice on its website of the personally identifiable information collected, how it is used, when and how it is destroyed, the terms under which it may be re-disclosed, and links to the service's terms of service and privacy policy. Vendor agreements must comply with FERPA, COPPA, and Florida's Student Online Personal Information Protection law, limit data to what the service needs, and prohibit re-disclosure.
This site is how Seminole County Public Schools provides that notice.
Read Rule 6A-1.09550
Student records and information the district may not collect
Florida law (sections 1002.22 and 1002.222, Florida Statutes, and Rule 6A-1.0955) gives parents the right to inspect their child's education records, to request corrections, and to control disclosure of those records consistent with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The district may not collect, obtain, or retain information on a student's political affiliation, voting history, religious affiliation, or biometric information, and may not share confidential student records except where the law allows.
Read F.S. 1002.222
Technology in K-12 public schools (HB 379, 2023)
House Bill 379 (2023) requires every district to adopt an internet safety policy for students. Students may not access social media platforms through district internet except when a teacher directs its use for an educational purpose. TikTok and similar platforms are prohibited on district devices and networks. Students in grades 6 through 12 receive instruction on the social, emotional, and physical effects of social media.
Read HB 379 (2023)
Federal protections: FERPA, COPPA, PPRA, and CIPA
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student education records and gives parents rights to inspect them and to consent before most disclosures.
COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) governs how online services collect personal information from children under 13 and requires verifiable parental consent, which schools may provide on a parent's behalf only for educational purposes.
PPRA (Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment) gives parents rights regarding surveys, certain physical examinations, and the collection of personal information for marketing.
CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) requires schools that receive certain federal funding to filter internet access and educate students about online safety.
U.S. Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office · FTC children's privacy guidance
Artificial intelligence tools in the classroom
Pending
On September 16, 2026, the Florida State Board of Education approved new statewide rules establishing strict guardrails for how artificial intelligence can be used in K-12 public schools.
Here is what the new policy requires school districts to do:
- Parental Consent & Notification: Districts must obtain your consent before your child uses AI instructional tools. Schools must notify you when an AI tool is approved, including the product's exact name, which classes will use it, and how your student will interact with the technology.
- Academic Integrity Limits: Students are banned from using AI on any graded work unless an instructor explicitly allows it for a specific assignment.
- Data Privacy: Any approved AI tool must have safeguards in place to strictly protect student education records and personal information.
- Updated Safety Policies: All local school districts are mandated to amend their internet safety regulations to enforce these new state guidelines.
