Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Full Text of law - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (All sites below will take you to the full text of the law

  • FERPA Law Document - Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA) (FERPA) sets out requirements designed to protect the privacy of parents and students. In brief, the law requires a school district to: Provide a parent access to their child's educational records; provide a parent an opportunity to seek correction of records he/she believes to be inaccurate or misleading; with some exceptions, obtain the written permission of a parent before disclosing information contained in the student's educational record.
  • FERPA Law Document: Alternate Version - No funds shall be made available under any applicable program to any educational agency or institution which has a policy of denying, or which effectively prevents, the parents of students who are or have been in attendance at a school of such agency or at such institution, as the case may be, the right to inspect and review the education records of their children.

 General Information on Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

  • Model Notification of Rights under FERPA for Postsecondary Institutions - The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  • Overview of FERPA from ed.gov - FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."
  • Overview of FERPA from Helpforschools.com - FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student, or former student, who has reached the age of 18 or is attending any school beyond the high school level. Students and former students to whom the rights have transferred are called eligible students.
  • Report of the Committee on Changes (FERPA) - In October 1998, Congress passed amendments to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, also known as the Buckley Amendment) which permit, but do not mandate, the non-consensual disclosure of certain information from a student's disciplinary records. Specifically, these amendments allow institutions to report to parents violations of alcohol and drug laws by students under the age of 21 and to disclose to the public the results of a disciplinary matter in which a student has been found responsible for violating the institution's policy with respect to conduct that would constitute a "crime of violence" or a "non-forcible sex offense".
  • What Do I Do When…The FERPA Answer Book for Higher Education Professionals - Get answers to more than 250 questions involving education-record management. This resource contains a question-and-answer section, the full text of the FERPA statute and regulations, as well as sample notices and forms.
  • Why Doesn't UConn Send My Children's Grades? - MS Word document.  One of the most common questions I get from parents is “why doesn’t the University send me my child’s grades?” It’s a reasonable question. After all, the parents of most undergraduates do pay some or all of their children’s tuition and fees.
  • Release of Student Directory Information and Disclosure of Student Records - The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 protects the privacy of your education records. However, the following information is considered public or directory information and may be released to anyone unless you inform the Office of the Registrar that you do not wish any information released...

FAQ about FERPA (Overview of frequently asked questions regarding FERPA-From the University of North Texas)

  • What is FERPA? - FERPA is a Federal LawAlso known as the Buckley Amendment; protects the privacy of a student’s educational records; applies to all educational agencies or institutions that receive funds under any program administered by the Secretary of Education...
  • What are and are not education records? - Contain information directly related to the student and are maintained by an agency or institution or party acting in its behalf. Education records do not include...
  • What are parental rights under FERPA? - FERPA gives certain rights to parents regarding their children’s educational records. Rights transfer to the student upon reaching 18 years of age or attending any school beyond the secondary level.
  • What is directory or public information? - " . . . information contained in an education record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed." (1988 Final Regulations)...
  • What information can we release without student consent? - The law allows disclosure without consent to: School employees who have a legitimate educational interest; Other schools, upon request, in which a student is seeking or intending to enroll; Accrediting organizations...
  • What are 2 basic steps to comply with the law? - Notify current students annually in writing of their rights under FERPA: Right to seek amendment or correction of educational records; Right to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records except when release is permitted by law; Right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office, United States Department of Education, within 180 days of alleged violation...
  • What documents does a student not have a right to see? - Financial information submitted by parents, confidential letters and recommendations placed in student’s file before 1/1/75...
  • What are institutional policy and notification requirements? - As of November 21, 1996, an institution is no longer required to have a written institutional policy. The benefit of having a policy is that we have guidelines to follow...
  • What can happen if we fail to follow the law? - Lawsuit, loss of Federal funding, conviction of a misdemeanor under the Public Information Act, confinement in the county jail not to exceed 6 months...