(Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974)
All Education Solutions employees are required to have training in the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended (FERPA). Please review the following information and complete the acknowledgement form.

• What is FERPA?
• What are and are not education records?
• What are parental rights under FERPA?
• What is directory or public information?
• What is directory information?
• How can a student withhold directory information?
• What information can we release without student consent?
• What are 2 basic steps to comply with the law?
• What documents does a student not have a right to see?
• What can happen if we fail to follow the law?
• What if I have a question on what can or cannot be released under
FERPA?
• Acknowledgement Form

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FERPA is a Federal Law that protects the privacy of student education records.
• Also known as the Buckley Amendment
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Applies to all educational agencies or institutions that receive funds under any program administered by the Department of Education.
• FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records.
These rights transfer to the student when he/she reached the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”
• Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
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Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decided not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decided not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contacted information.

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Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However,
FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions.
– School officials with legitimate educational interest;
– Other schools to which a student is transferring;
– Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
– Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
– Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
– Accrediting organizations;
– To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
– Appropriate officials in cased of health and safety emergencies; and
– State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
• Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them.
Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of the rights under FERPA.
The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

• Records -- handwriting, print, computer, videotape, audiotape, film, microfilm, microfiche or e-mail – of an institution that
– 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
– Records/notes in sole possession of maker not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute
– Medical records
– Employment records when employment is not contingent on being a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual's employment
– Records created and maintained by a law enforcement unit used only for that purpose, is revealed only to law enforcement agencies of the same jurisdiction, and the enforcement unit does not have access to education records
– Information on a person that was obtained when no longer a student (i.e., alumni records) and does not relate to the person as a student

• 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.
• When may a parent access a student’s educational records?
– Law allows parental access if student is claimed as a dependent for Federal income tax purposes.
– Access is granted to both the parent who claims the student as well as the parent who is not claiming the student but…
• Student must complete Student Consent for Release of Records (available in the
Registrar’s Office or academic department) each time information is to be released.
• How can a parent access student information if the student is not being claimed by either parent for Federal income tax purposes?
– Parent can have access only if the student is willing to release information.
– Student must complete Student Consent for Release of Records (available in the
Registrar’s Office or academic department) each time information is to be released.
• A parent may access student information but may not act on the student’s behalf except in emergency situations.

• " . . . 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) Directory Information can NEVER include:
– Social security number or
– Student identification number
– Race
– Ethnicity
– Nationality
– Gender
• Can directory information be released to anyone who requests it?
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NO - If the student has requested that directory information be withheld, no information can be released
• outside of the school except as provided by law.
• to anyone within the school who does NOT have a need to know.
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YES - If the student has NOT requested that directory information be withheld.

• Student’s full name
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Address
• University assigned e-mail address
• Telephone listings
• Date and place of birth
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Major field of study
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Degrees and awards received
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Dates of attendance
• Most recent previous school attended
• Classification
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Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
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Weight and height of members of athletic teams
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Photograph
• Enrollment status
- Undergraduate or graduate students
- Full-time or part-time
• Please note that class schedule and next-of-kin information are not open directory information and cannot be released to anyone in the school that does not have a "need to know" or to anyone outside of the school except as provided by law.

• The student must request that information be withheld on or before the census date of each session or semester by completing a Request to
Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form to prevent release of directory information.
• The withhold directory flag will be put on the academic record whenever the student requests it during the semester; however, we cannot be responsible for any information released after the above dates but prior to receipt of form in the Registrar's Office.
• The withhold directory flag remains in effect until the student requests in writing that it be removed.
• This form is available with the Registrar's Office.

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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
– Organizations doing certain studies for or on behalf of the University
– Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student to determine eligibility, amount or conditions of financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of aid.
– Parents when a student over 18 is still a dependent (see additional information under parental rights)
– Certain government officials of the U. S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities, in connection with an audit, authorized representatives of the U. S. Attorney General for law enforcement purposes or state or federally supported education programs
– Individuals who have obtained a judicial order or subpoena
– School officials who have a need to know concerning disciplinary action taken against a student
– Appropriate parties who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies when necessary to protect the health and safety of the student and/or others
– State and local authorities, within the juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law
– Alleged victim of a crime of violence the results of a disciplinary proceeding with respect to that crime
– Parent or legal guardian of a student under the age of 21, information regarding any violation of university policy or state, federal or local law, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance
– Those requesting directory information on a student provided the student has not requested his or her information be withheld

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1. 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
– Since most schools have a policy of disclosing personally identifiable information to school officials:
• The criteria for determining school officials
• A description of what constitutes legitimate educational interest
– Student rights are published in the Student Handbook for each semester under "Public
Information Policy and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act."
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2. Grant access by students or parents, if applicable, to education records.
– Students and former students have the right to inspect and review their education records through established procedures.
• Within a maximum of 45 days after written request is received.
– Institution or agency is not required to provide a copy of the education record unless failure to do so would deny access.
• Records cannot be destroyed if request is pending.
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Fees can be charged unless cost prohibits access.
– Students and former students have the right to review records of requests for disclosure of their personally identifiable information.
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Institution needs to maintain records of requests and make them available to students.

• Parents and eligible students who need assistance or who wish to file a complaint under FERPA should do so in writing to the Family Policy
Compliance Office, sending pertinent information through the mail, concerning any allegations to the following address:
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Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Phone: (202) 260-3887

• Financial information submitted by parents
• Confidential letters and recommendations placed in student’s file
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Confidential letters, etc., associated with admissions, employment, job placement or honors to which a student has waived rights of inspection and review
• Educational records containing information about other students such as
– Grades
– Test scores, etc.

• The penalty for noncompliance with FERPA can be withdrawal of federal funding. If the school is found to be out of compliance, The Family Policy
Compliance Office will work to bring the school into voluntary compliance. If voluntary compliance is not achieved, then the school will be in jeopardy of losing federal education dollars.
• If a third party is found to have improperly disclosed personally identifiable information from education records, the school may not allow that third party access to information for at least 5 years. State laws on privacy may also apply penalties.
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Dismissal

• Remember . . .
• When in doubt, don't give it out!
• If you have any questions on what you can or cannot release, check with your supervisor.
• After reviewing the above information, complete and sign the
Acknowledgement Form indicating that you understand the information contained in this training session.