PASCO COUNTY — A federal investigation is underway to determine whether Pasco County Schools broke the law by sharing student information with the Sheriff's Office.

The investigation was sparked by a report in the Tampa Bay Times that claimed some of the information was used to compile a list of students who could potentially become criminals — a claim the sheriff's office denies.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, who heads the House Committee on Education and Labor, requested the investigation. He called the school district's early warning system disturbing.

But both the Sheriff's Office and the school district continue to say they are proud of their partnership and that their goal has always been safety.

A U.S. Department of Education investigation will be looking into "if" and "how" the Pasco County School district shared private information on student grades, discipline and attendance with the Sheriff's Office as part of its early warning system and intelligence-led policing.

The Times published a story in November, reporting the information was being used to "pinpoint kids who are likely to become criminals."

Sheriff Chris Nocco says no specific information is being widely shared.

“The school resource office has the same information that is the same as the teachers in the school, everybody else,” Nocco said. “Where the whole controversy, where people are trying to create controversy is that they think that patrol deputies, detectives have the children's information. That's not true."

In calling for the investigation, Rep. Scott said: "Evidence shows schools disproportionately suspend or expel black and Latino students more frequently than their white peers for similar offenses. Therefore, any law enforcement system that uses school discipline data to identify children as potential criminals would not only be illegal, but also racially biased."

The school district says it will cooperate with the U.S. DOE investigation.

In a statement, the district said its “knowledge of our agreements with the Sheriff's Office appears to be based on recent news stories, which do not provide a full picture. Those agreements include safeguards for the proper use of student information and are designed to provide supports to students who are at risk."

The Department of Education says it can't comment on the investigation until it's completed.

Neither the Sheriff's Office nor the school district have announced plans to end their data-sharing agreements.