No. 00-1073October Term 2000Decided Jun 25, 2001Updated Sep 3, 2026
Owasso Independent School District No. I—011 v. Falvo
Peer-graded assignments are not protected FERPA education records before the teacher collects and records the grades.
Case status
Decided 9-0 · June 25, 2001 · Opinion by Justice Kennedy
Majority
- Rehnquist
- Stevens
- O'Connor
- Kennedy
- Souter
- Thomas
- Ginsburg
- Breyer
- Scalia
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 25, 2001
- What it's about
A parent sued a school district claiming that the practice of having students grade each other's assignments violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that peer grading does not violate FERPA because the assignments are not considered official education records until the teacher collects and records the grades.
Question presented
Does the practice of peer grading violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974?
- Case path
Decision released Jun 25, 2001
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
Peer-graded assignments are not protected FERPA education records before the teacher collects and records the grades.
Impact
Schools may continue peer grading without treating uncollected assignments as official education records. For example, a teacher may have students score a classmate's quiz before the teacher collects and records the grade.
Not official Court text.
Vote
- Vote split
- 9-0
- Majority author
- Anthony M. Kennedy
Majority
- William H. Rehnquist
- John Paul Stevens
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Anthony M. Kennedy(author)
- David H. Souter
- Clarence Thomas
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Stephen G. Breyer
- Antonin Scalia(concurring)
Opinion documents
Briefing
What it's about
A parent challenged a school practice in which students grade one another's assignments. The Supreme Court unanimously decided that peer grading does not violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
Vote
Impact
Schools may continue peer grading without treating uncollected assignments as official education records. For example, a teacher may have students score a classmate's quiz before the teacher collects and records the grade.
What's next
The Court has finished this case. Schools may apply the decision when using peer grading practices.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Owasso v. Falvo?
The Court unanimously decided that peer grading does not violate FERPA. Assignments are not official education records before the teacher collects and records grades.
Who is affected by the Owasso v. Falvo decision?
Schools, teachers, students, and parents are affected. Teachers may use peer grading for assignments before grades are collected and recorded.
What happens next after Owasso v. Falvo?
The case is finished. Schools may continue peer grading consistent with the Court's decision.
Timing
Decided June 25, 2001
The Court released its decision on June 25, 2001 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Opinions
Kennedy, Rehnquist, Stevens, O'Connor, Souter, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Scalia
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Opinion added: Falvo
Feb 19, 2002 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology