Why Parent Transparency Matters More Than Ever in K–12 Edtech

What You’ll Learn:

How schools can meet FERPA and PPRA requirements—and parent expectations—with help from Lightspeed Systems®

There’s a new reminder from the top: U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon recently sent a Dear Colleague letter to K–12 schools across the country. The message? Schools must take parent transparency seriously—especially when it comes to student digital activity and the digital tools kids are using every day.

No surprise there. Parents want to know what’s happening with their kids at school—online and offline. But with thousands of edtech tools and ever-evolving compliance requirements, transparency can get buried in the chaos.

Two federal laws are the cornerstones of McMahon’s reminder: FERPA and PPRA.

What is FERPA? 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives parents certain rights—like the right to access and request corrections to their child’s education records, and the right to consent before personally identifiable information (PII) is shared with third parties.

In short: If a school collects it, stores it, or shares it, parents have a right to know about it.

What is PPRA? 

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) is a lesser-known cousin of FERPA, but no less important. It governs student participation in surveys, evaluations, and certain data collection efforts. Schools must notify parents and get consent before asking students about things like mental health, family income, political beliefs, and more.

PPRA also requires districts to develop policies around how instructional materials are reviewed and how student data is collected and used.

How Lightspeed Systems Supports Parent Transparency

Transparency doesn’t have to be complicated—or buried in policy paperwork. With the right tools, districts can give parents real visibility into their child’s online experience, while staying compliant with FERPA and PPRA. Here’s how:

1. Lightspeed Parent Portal™ 

With Lightspeed Filter™, schools can activate the Parent Portal to give guardians real-time visibility into their child’s web activity on school devices. Parents see what sites their child is visiting and can even get alerts or summaries through weekly emails. Plus, parents can control those devices outside of school hours.

✅ No more guessing. No more surprises.

✅ Built-in trust and better communication.

✅ Simplified parent controls over YouTube, social media, and screen time (without impacting class time).

2. Weekly Parent Emails

Each week, guardians can automatically receive a summary email that shows the top websites their student visited, plus detailed information about browsing activity. It’s quick to read, easy to understand, and a powerful tool for digital parenting.

✅ Easy, automated communication.

3. Public App Lists with Lightspeed Insight™

Districts use hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of edtech apps. With Lightspeed Insight™, schools can publish a Public App List that shows exactly what tools are being used—and which ones have been vetted. This gives parents and the community a clear view into the digital learning environment.

✅ Goodbye app black holes. Hello transparency.

The Bottom Line in PPRA and FERPA Compliance

FPPRA and FERPA compliance aren’t just checkboxes—they’re essential protections that build trust between schools and families. And as this new letter from the Secretaries reminds us, parent transparency isn’t optional.

At Lightspeed Systems, we believe families should be part of the digital conversation. Our education compliance solutions are built to help schools communicate more clearly, share more openly, and protect students every step of the way.

Because when parents are informed, kids are safer—and schools are stronger..

Ready to learn more? 

Check out these resources: 

• Lightspeed Trust Page
• Lightspeed Filter + Parent Portal
• Lightspeed Digital Insight + Public App List
• Student Data Privacy Resource Center
• Enabling the Parent Portal [for Lightspeed Admins]