Parents worry Highline’s Policy 3232 revisions limit opt-out choices, applying only to federally funded surveys, not state or local ones.
By Alex Myrick.
The Highline School Board will be reviewing proposed updates to Policy 3232 – Parent and Student Rights in the Administration of Surveys, Analysis, or Evaluations, at tonight’s August 20, 2025 meeting at 6pm.
The board agenda item states that this revision is required to bring Policy 3232 in line with both federal and state laws, but only federally funded surveys are covered by the law. State and locally funded surveys, analysis, and evaluations are EXEMPT from opt out.
The board report states,
“this notice and opt out only apply to surveys, analysis, or evaluations that are federally funded. This policy does not apply to activities that are covered under other funding sources, such as state funds or grants.”
The report states that these changes will not be “changing practice or expectations,” however, this is not aligned with the district’s current practice.
To give the Highline District an opportunity to clarify the changes, we reached out to the district with the following questions:
- Under the revised policy, what types of surveys or programs will parents still be able to opt their children out of?
- Conversely, what types of surveys or programs will no longer be subject to opt-out provisions (e.g., state- or locally funded surveys)?
- Will Highline continue, as a matter of district practice, to allow opt-out from non-federally funded surveys such as the Panorama SEL survey, and how will this be communicated to families?
- What is the anticipated timeline for board consideration and, if approved, for implementation of the revised policy?
Highline District Response
Burien.News received the following response from Tove Tupper, Highline Schools’ Chief Communications Officer:
Policy 3232 was last revised in 2009 and is being updated as part of our routine policy review process. We are currently in compliance with federal law and federal law has not changed—no rights are being changed or taken away. These proposed revisions simply update the language to reflect current federal requirements. Our practice remains the same.
Under the revised Policy 3232, parents retain the right to opt their student out of federally funded survey, analysis, or evaluation that cover these topics:
- Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent or guardian
- Mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family
- Sex behavior and attitudes
- Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior
- Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships
- Legally recognized privileged or similar relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers
- Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or student’s parent/guardian
- Income other than information necessary to establish eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program.
The Panorama survey does not ask questions related to the topics mentioned above and is also not paid for by federal funded. Regardless, we voluntarily offer families the option to opt their student out of participating in the Panorama survey, and we ensure this option is communicated when schools notify families before survey distribution. This practice remains the same.
Since this update is only a language change, it is already in effect and will remain in effect once the Board takes action. The revised policy is scheduled for introduction on August 20 and action on September 3.
We plan to update this story after tonight’s board meeting.
