§ 5b.11 Exempt systems.

(a) General policy. The Act permits an agency to exempt certain types of systems of records from some of the Act's requirements. It is the policy of the Department to exercise authority to exempt systems of records only in compelling cases.

(b) Specific systems of records exempted under (j)(2). The Department exempts the Investigative Files of the Inspector General ED/OIG (18–10–01) and the Hotline Complaint Files of the Inspector General ED/OIG (18–10–04) systems of records from the following provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a and this part:

(1) 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and § 5b.9(a)(1) and (c)(3) of this part, regarding access to an accounting of disclosures of a record.

(2) 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(4) and §§ 5b.7(c) and 5b.8(b) of this part, regarding notification to outside parties and agencies of correction or notation of dispute made in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(d).

(3) 5 U.S.C. 552a(d) (1) through (4) and (f) and §§ 5b.5(a)(1) and (c), 5b.7, and 5b.8 of this part, regarding notification or access to records and correction or amendment of records.

(4) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(1) and § 5b.4(a)(1) of this part, regarding maintaining only relevant and necessary information.

(5) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(2) and § 5b.4(a)(2) of this part, regarding collection of information from the subject individual.

(6) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(3) and § 5b.4(a)(3) of this part, regarding notice to individuals asked to provide information to the Department.

(7) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) (G), (H), and (I), regarding inclusion of information in the system notice about procedures for notification, access, correction, and source of records.

(8) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(5), regarding maintaining records with requisite accuracy, relevance, timeliness, and completeness.

(9) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(8), regarding service of notice on subject individual if a record is made available under compulsory legal process if that process becomes a matter of public record.

(10) 5 U.S.C. 552a(g), regarding civil remedies for violation of the Privacy Act.

(c) Specific systems of records exempted under (k)(2).

(1) The Department exempts the Investigative Files of the Inspector General ED/OIG (18–10–01), the Hotline Complaint Files of the Inspector General ED/OIG (18–10–04), and the Office of Inspector General Data Analytics System (ODAS) (18–10–02) from the following provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a and this part to the extent that these systems of records consist of investigatory material and complaints that may be included in investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes:

(i) 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and § 5b.9(c)(3) of this part, regarding access to an accounting of disclosures of records.

(ii) 5 U.S.C. 552a(d) (1) through (4) and (f) and §§ 5b.5(a)(1) and (c), 5b.7, and 5b.8 of this part, regarding notification of and access to records and correction or amendment of records.

(iii) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(1) and § 5b.4(a)(1) of this part, regarding the requirement to maintain only relevant and necessary information.

(iv) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) (G), (H), and (I), regarding inclusion of information in the system notice about procedures for notification, access, correction, and source of records.

(2) The Department exempts the Complaint Files and Log, Office for Civil Rights (18–08–01) from the following provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a and this part:

(i) 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and § 5b.9(c)(3) of this part, regarding access to an accounting of disclosures of records.

(ii) 5 U.S.C. 552a(d) (1) through (4) and (f) and §§ 5b.5(a)(1) and (c), 5b.7, and 5b.8 of this part, regarding notification of and access to records and correction or amendment of records.

(iii) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) (G) and (H), regarding inclusion of information in the system notice about procedures for notification, access, and correction of records.

(d) Specific systems of records exempted under (k)(5). The Department exempts the Investigatory Material Compiled for Personnel Security and Suitability Purposes (18–05–17) system of records from the following provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552a and this part:

(1) 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and § 5b.9(c)(3) of this part, regarding access to an accounting of disclosures of records.

(2) 5 U.S.C. 552a(d) (1) through (4) and (f) and §§ 5b.5(a)(1) and (c), 5b.7, and 5b.8 of this part, regarding notification of and access to records and correction or amendment of records.

(3) 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) (G) and (H), regarding inclusion of information in the system notice about procedures for notification, access, and correction of records.

(e) Basis for exemptions taken under (j)(2), (k)(2), and (k)(5). The reason the Department took each exemption described in this section is stated in the preamble for the final rulemaking document under which the exemption was promulgated. These final rulemaking documents were published in the Federal Register and may be obtained from the Department of Education by mailing a request to the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Privacy Act Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Regulatory Information Management Group, Washington, DC 20202–4651.

(f) Notification of or access to records in exempt systems of records.

(1) If a system of records is exempt under this section, an individual may nonetheless request notification of or access to a record in that system. An individual shall make requests for notification of or access to a record in an exempt system or records in accordance with the procedures of § 5b.5 of this part.

(2) An individual will be granted notification of or access to a record in an exempt system but only to the extent that notification or access would not reveal the identity of a source who furnished the record to the Department under an express promise, and, prior to September 27, 1975, an implied promise, that his identity would be held in confidence if—

(i) The record is in a system of records or that portion of a system of records that is exempt under subsection (k)(2), but not under subsection (j)(2), of the Act and the individual has been, as a result of the maintenance of the record, denied a right, privilege, or benefit to which he or she would otherwise be eligible; or

(ii) The record is in a system of records that is exempt under subsection (k)(5) of the Act.

(3) If an individual is not granted notification of or access to a record in a system of records exempt under subsections (k)(2) (but not under subsection (j)(2)) and (k)(5) of the Act in accordance with this paragraph, he or she will be informed that the identity of a confidential source would be revealed if notification of or access to the record were granted to the individual.

(g) Discretionary actions by the responsible Department official. Unless disclosure of a record to the general public is otherwise prohibited by law, the responsible Department official may, in his or her discretion, grant notification of or access to a record in a system of records that is exempt under this section. Discretionary notification of or access to a record in accordance with this paragraph will not be a precedent for discretionary notification of or access to a similar or related record and will not obligate the responsible Department official to exercise his or her discretion to grant notification of or access to any other record in a system of records that is exempt under this section.

[58 FR 44424, Aug. 20, 1993, as amended at 64 FR 31066, June 9, 1999; 69 FR 12246, Mar. 15, 2004; 73 FR 61355, Oct. 16, 2008]