---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7908"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7908"
heading: "Armed Forces recruiter access to students and student recruiting information"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7908"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter VIII — General Provisions"
  - "Part F — Uniform Provisions"
  - "Subpart 2 — other provisions"
---

# §7908. Armed Forces recruiter access to students and student recruiting information

- (a) **Policy—**
  - (1) **Access to student recruiting information—** Notwithstanding [section 1232g(a)(5)(B) of this title](/usc/20/1232g.md?p=a-5-B), each [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) receiving assistance under this chapter shall provide, upon a request made by a military recruiter or an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29), access to the name, address, and telephone listing of each [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) student served by the [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A), unless the [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) of such student has submitted the prior consent request under [paragraph (2)](#a-2).
  - (2) **Consent—**
    - (A) **Opt-out process—** A [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) of a [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) student may submit a written request, to the [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A), that the student’s name, address, and telephone listing not be released for purposes of [paragraph (1)](#a-1) without prior written consent of the [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38). Upon receiving such request, the [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) may not release the student’s name, address, and telephone listing for such purposes without the prior written consent of the [parent](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38).
    - (B) **Notification of opt-out process—** Each [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) shall notify the [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) of the students served by the agency of the option to make a request described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A).
  - (3) **Same access to students—** Each [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) receiving assistance under this chapter shall provide military recruiters the same access to [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) students as is provided to institutions of higher education or to prospective employers of those students.
  - (4) **Rule of construction prohibiting opt-in processes—** Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to allow a [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A) to withhold access to a student’s name, address, and telephone listing from a military recruiter or [institution of higher education](/usc/20/7801.md?p=29) by implementing an opt-in process or any other process other than the written consent request process under [paragraph (2)(A)](#a-2-A).
  - (5) **Parental consent—** For purposes of this subsection, whenever a student has attained 18 years of age, the permission or consent required of and the rights accorded to the [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) of the student shall only be required of and accorded to the student.
- (b) **Notification—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46), in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) of Defense, shall, not later than 120 days after December 10, 2015, notify [school leaders](/usc/20/7801.md?p=44), school administrators, and other educators about the requirements of this section.
- (c) **Exception—** The requirements of this section do not apply to a private [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) that maintains a religious objection to service in the [Armed Forces](/usc/20/7713.md?p=1) if the objection is verifiable through the corporate or other organizational documents or materials of that school.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8528, formerly title IX, § 9528, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1983; renumbered title VIII, § 8528, and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, §§ 8001(a)(6), 8025, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2088, 2089, 2114.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 7908, Pub. L. 89–10, title IX, § 9208, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3802, related to Native Hawaiian special education programs, prior to the general amendment of former subchapter IX of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

### Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–95, § 8025, added subsecs. (a) to (c) and struck out former subsecs. (a) to (d) which related to policy regarding access to student recruiting information, notification of requirements of this section, exception for a private secondary school that maintains a religious objection to service in the Armed Forces, and special rule regarding Connecticut State law, respectively.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.