FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students. The law assigns the student as the owner of their educational record and provides guidelines on how the educational institution is to use and release protected information. This insures that information such as the student’s grades, academic standing, and course schedule are not public information and that the student controls who has access to this information. This law also requires the educator to grant the student's access to their personal records.
What Does That Mean as a Parent?
This means your student's information is kept secure and private from the public. Everyone, including parents, who wishes to see information is required to get written consent from the student.
What Information Can Parents Access?
The following information is considered public directory information and is available to the public upon request.*
- Student name
- Year at the University
- Dates of attendance
- Academic college and major field of study
- Enrollment status (undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time)
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Degrees, honors and awards received
- Most recent educational agency or institution attended
* Students may withhold directory information withheld from the public.
What Are a Student's Basic Rights?
- The student is required to be notified annually of their FERPA rights.
- The student may review and inspect their records.
- The student has the right to request an amendment to their educational record they believe is inaccurate or misleading.
- The student must consent to disclosure of educational records (with exceptions).