FERPA: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents and Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a https://www.skygeneration.ca/ federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents and eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

• • The right to inspect and review the student’s education records
  • The right to request that a school amend the student’s education records
  • The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent

• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by a school to comply with FERPA

FERPA applies to all schools that receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education. This includes public elementary and secondary schools, public and private colleges and universities, and vocational schools.

FERPA Protects Education Records

FERPA protects the privacy of student education records. Education records are any records that directly relate to a student and are maintained by a school or by a party acting for the school. Education records include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Grades
• Transcripts
• Attendance records
• Disciplinary records
• Test scores
• Medical records
• Letters of recommendation
• Student course schedules
• Student financial aid records

FERPA Gives Parents and Eligible Students Certain Rights

FERPA gives parents and eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

• • The right to inspect and review the student’s education records. Parents and eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records within a reasonable time after the school receives a request for access.
  • The right to request that a school amend the student’s education records. Parents and eligible students have the right to request that a school amend the student’s education records if they believe that the records are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights

• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Parents and eligible students generally must consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. However, there are a number of exceptions to this requirement, such as disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests, disclosures to certain government officials, and disclosures in connection with certain research studies.
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by a school to comply with FERPA. Parents and eligible students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe that a school has failed to comply with FERPA.

FERPA’s Importance

FERPA is an important law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents and eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights help to ensure that student education records are used appropriately and that students’ privacy is protected.