F
FALSE
What does the acronym FERPA stand for?
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
True or False: FERPA does not apply to Post-Secondary Schools.
False!
FERPA applies to all schools that receive funding from the Federal Government.
How often must a school/organization notify parents/guardians of FERPA?
Annually.
Parents/guardians and eligible students must be notified of FERPA protections every year.
True or False: FERPA exists solely to protect students' information.
False.
While FERPA does protect sensitive information, it also allows for other items such as amendment requests and limited viewer control.
Name two entities that can obtain student records without former permission from the party in question
- Legal entities (Child Protective Services, Subpoenas, etc).
- Educational entities (Post-secondary schools, grade schools, etc).
- Medical entities (in case of emergency, etc.)
All must have a legitimate reason for obtaining the records, and must do so in writing.
True or False: Educational agencies may choose to charge for records release
FALSE.
Access to educational records cannot be denied to qualifying parties, nor can they be charged for the acquisition.
Does FERPA apply to Virtual Schools?
Yes.
As long as they are Federally funded, FERPA applies to all students, regardless of whether or not they physically attend a school
At what age does a student qualify for protection under FERPA?
Trick question!
There is no designated age. As long as a student is enrolled in a federally funded program, they are protected.
Why do schools keep records for so long?
A. To make life difficult.
B. It is the law.
C. To allow for schools to determine the best course of action for a student, and remain available when those documents are needed in the future.
B and/or C!
While it is the law, it's helpful to determine a student's needs. Additionally, the information may deem useful at some point within the student's life.
Can military recruiters gain access to a student's educational records?
Possibly.
If the parent/guardian or emancipated/18+ student chooses to give written permission to do so, records may be released. If not, military recruiters do not have permission to obtain such items.
What is the Amendment that prohibits schools from surveying students about a variety of sensitive subjects?
PPRA (Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment)
Does FERPA apply to trade or vocational schools?
Yes, but only if they receive federal funding.
When does FERPA expire?
SCENARIO: You leave your desk to assist a student in the hallway. During that time, an unauthorized individual accesses your computer and discovers behavioral information about a student. Is the school liable for this FERPA violation?
Always ensure that sensitive information is not left open on your computer when you need to step away.
Students who are enrolled or were enrolled at a qualifying institution
True or False: A parent/guardian or of-age/emancipated student may request to amend their educational records if they notice any inaccuracies
True!
Qualifying parties may submit a request for an amendment should they notice something inaccurate.
Does FERPA protect the records of a deceased individual?
Yes & No.
While we hope this is never the case, records of an of-age student (18+) are not protected under FERPA.
Minor students remain protected.
In what year was FERPA enacted?
A. 1967
B. 1974
C. 1981
D. 1991
B. 1974
FERPA was enacted on August 21st, 1974 by President Gerald Ford.
SCENARIO: You receive an email from a police officer who indicates that a student is truant, and are suspected to have shoplifted the day prior. They request that you send over attendance records that prove the student skipped school on the day in question. Can you do so?
No.
Unless they have obtained a legal document to release the records, you cannot provide the attendance.
Yes or No: Does FERPA apply to Pre-K/Preschool
No! FERPA does not directly apply to Pre-K/Preschool since it is a privatized program.
However, we should always do our best to protect the sensitive information of our students.
If a school violates FERPA, what could happen?
A. The Government discontinues funding to the school
B. The Government closes the school
C. The Government revokes accredidation
A. The Federal Government discontinues funding to the school
True or False: FERPA applies to international/foreign exchange students.
True!
FERPA does not differentiate between foreign students and U.S. Citizens. This applies to both Visa types (F1 & J1) regardless of Tax Payer status.
How long does a school have to maintain records?
This depends on the documents in question, but many items must be kept forever.
SCENARIO: You receive a call from Child Protective Services. They give you their name and badge number, then request that you fax over documents pertaining to a student. Do you fax these items over?
No.
Records requests of any sort should be in writing from a verified source.