Requestor
anonymous parent
Requested Information
### I. Records Related to Counselor / Student Services Training on December 18, 2025
Please produce any and all records related to training provided on or about **December 18, 2025**, to **school counselors and/or student services staff members** employed by the Howard County Public School System (“HCPSS”), including but not limited to:
1. Agendas, outlines, schedules, or session descriptions;
2. Presentation materials, slides, handouts, talking points, scripts, or reference documents;
3. Notes taken by presenters, facilitators, or attendees;
4. Written guidance, memoranda, or follow-up communications summarizing or clarifying the content of the training;
5. Emails or other communications planning, approving, organizing, or discussing the training, whether before or after December 18, 2025.
This request includes records maintained in any format, including email, electronic documents, shared drives, learning management systems, or messaging platforms.
### II. Records Concerning Direction or Guidance to Use Student ID Numbers in Place of Student Names
Please produce any and all records reflecting **direction, guidance, instruction, or training** provided to school counselors, student services staff, or other HCPSS employees regarding the practice of **using student identification numbers instead of student names in internal email communications or other written communications**, including but not limited to:
1. Policies, procedures, guidance documents, or memoranda (formal or informal);
2. Training materials or presentations addressing this practice;
3. Emails or internal communications announcing, explaining, or reinforcing this practice;
4. Drafts of such documents;
5. Communications discussing compliance with FERPA, the MPIA, or other privacy or records-access considerations in connection with this practice.
### III. Records Reflecting Authorization, Decision-Making, and Rationale
Please produce records sufficient to identify:
1. **Who authorized, approved, or directed** the implementation of the practice described above, including names, titles, and offices;
2. **When** the decision was made and **whether it was implemented system-wide or limited to certain schools or departments**;
3. The **reason(s), justification(s), or rationale(s)** for adopting this practice, including any discussion of:
* Student privacy;
* Internal email security;
* Public records requests;
* Parental access to student-related records;
* Administrative burden or record retrieval considerations.
### IV. Records Addressing Parental Access and Public Records Implications
Please produce any records that discuss, analyze, or reference how the use of student ID numbers rather than student names in internal communications may affect:
1. A parent’s or guardian’s ability to identify and request records relating to their own child under the MPIA;
2. HCPSS’s obligations to conduct reasonable searches for records responsive to MPIA requests;
3. Transparency, accountability, or record-keeping practices involving student-specific communications.
This request specifically seeks records that go beyond generalized statements and reflect actual consideration, analysis, or discussion of these issues.
### V. No Board Policy
If this practice was implemented **without formal Board of Education policy**, please produce records explaining why no Board policy was sought or adopted, and identifying the authority relied upon to implement the practice administratively.
Please produce any and all records related to training provided on or about **December 18, 2025**, to **school counselors and/or student services staff members** employed by the Howard County Public School System (“HCPSS”), including but not limited to:
1. Agendas, outlines, schedules, or session descriptions;
2. Presentation materials, slides, handouts, talking points, scripts, or reference documents;
3. Notes taken by presenters, facilitators, or attendees;
4. Written guidance, memoranda, or follow-up communications summarizing or clarifying the content of the training;
5. Emails or other communications planning, approving, organizing, or discussing the training, whether before or after December 18, 2025.
This request includes records maintained in any format, including email, electronic documents, shared drives, learning management systems, or messaging platforms.
### II. Records Concerning Direction or Guidance to Use Student ID Numbers in Place of Student Names
Please produce any and all records reflecting **direction, guidance, instruction, or training** provided to school counselors, student services staff, or other HCPSS employees regarding the practice of **using student identification numbers instead of student names in internal email communications or other written communications**, including but not limited to:
1. Policies, procedures, guidance documents, or memoranda (formal or informal);
2. Training materials or presentations addressing this practice;
3. Emails or internal communications announcing, explaining, or reinforcing this practice;
4. Drafts of such documents;
5. Communications discussing compliance with FERPA, the MPIA, or other privacy or records-access considerations in connection with this practice.
### III. Records Reflecting Authorization, Decision-Making, and Rationale
Please produce records sufficient to identify:
1. **Who authorized, approved, or directed** the implementation of the practice described above, including names, titles, and offices;
2. **When** the decision was made and **whether it was implemented system-wide or limited to certain schools or departments**;
3. The **reason(s), justification(s), or rationale(s)** for adopting this practice, including any discussion of:
* Student privacy;
* Internal email security;
* Public records requests;
* Parental access to student-related records;
* Administrative burden or record retrieval considerations.
### IV. Records Addressing Parental Access and Public Records Implications
Please produce any records that discuss, analyze, or reference how the use of student ID numbers rather than student names in internal communications may affect:
1. A parent’s or guardian’s ability to identify and request records relating to their own child under the MPIA;
2. HCPSS’s obligations to conduct reasonable searches for records responsive to MPIA requests;
3. Transparency, accountability, or record-keeping practices involving student-specific communications.
This request specifically seeks records that go beyond generalized statements and reflect actual consideration, analysis, or discussion of these issues.
### V. No Board Policy
If this practice was implemented **without formal Board of Education policy**, please produce records explaining why no Board policy was sought or adopted, and identifying the authority relied upon to implement the practice administratively.
Date Received
Status
Submitted