Famil amily y Edu Educa cation tional al Right Rights s an and d Pr Privac ivacy y Ac Act (FE t (FERP RPA) A) FERP FE RPA A 10 101: 1: FE FERP RPA A Basics Basics Ellen Campbell Ellen Campb ell Bar Baron on R Rod odri rigu guez ez Acting Director Privacy Technical Family Policy Compliance Office Assistance Center December 7, 2011
Fam amil ily y Ed Educ ucatio tiona nal l Righ Rights ts an and d Priva Privacy y Act Act (FERP (FERPA) A) Statute: 20 U.S.C. § 1232g Regulations: 34 CFR Part 99 2
Wha hat is F t is FERP ERPA? A? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records, except as provided by law. When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student (“eligible student”). 3
§ 99.1 A 99.1 Applica pplicability bility of of FERP FERPA § 99.1 To which educational agencies and institutions do these regulations apply? FERPA applies to schools that receive funds under any program administered by the Secretary of Education. Most private and parochial schools at the elementary and secondary levels do not receive such funds and are, therefore, not subject to FERPA. 4
Rece ecent Amendmen nt Amendments to ts to the the FE FERP RPA A Regula gulations tions http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-02/pdf/2011-30683.pdf § 99.3 – Defines “Authorized representative” and “Education program.” § 99.31(a)(6)(ii)-(iv) – Amends the studies exception. § 99.35(a)(2) – Amends the audit or evaluation exception. § 99.3 & § 99.37(c) - (d) – Modifies definition of and requirements relating to “directory information.” §§ 99.60 - 99.67 – Strengthens the enforcement provisions of FERPA. Changes effective January 3, 2012. 5
§ 99.3 99.3 Wha hat definitions a t definitions appl pply y to these to these r regula gulations? tions? (P (Par artial) tial) “Education records” are records that are – 1) directly related to a student; and 2) maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution. 6
Ed Educa ucation tion Reco ecords ds Exceptions to “education records” include – sole possession records used as a personal memory aid; law enforcement unit records; student employment records; and “treatment records.” 7
Per erson sonall ally Identifia y Identifiable ble Inf Infor orma mation (PII) tion (PII) “Personally identifiable information” (PII) includes, but is not limited to: the student’s name; name of the student’s parent or other family members; address of the student or student’s family; a personal identifier, such as a social security number, student number, or biometric record; and other indirect identifiers, such as the student’s date of birth, place of birth, and mother’s maiden name. 8
Per erson sonall ally Identifia y Identifiable ble Inf Infor orma mation (PII) tion (PII) (Cont.) (Cont.) Other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty; or Information requested by a person who the educational agency or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates. 9
Di Directo ectory y Inf Infor orma mation tion “Directory information” is – Personally identifiable information that is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, includes, but is not limited to: – name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address; – date and place of birth; – photographs; – participation in officially recognized activities and sports; – field of study; – weight and height of athletes; – enrollment status (full-, part-time, undergraduate, graduate); – degrees & awards received; – dates of attendance; – most recent previous school attended; and – grade level. 10
Di Directo ectory y Inf Infor orma mation tion (co (cont.) nt.) “Directory information” cannot generally include a student’s social security number or student ID number. New! “Directory information” may include a student ID number or other unique personal identifier that is displayed on a student ID badge, but only if the identifier cannot be used to gain access to education records except when used in conjunction with one or more factors that authenticate the user’s identity, such as a PIN, password, or other factor known or possessed only by the authorized user. 11
Ri Rights ghts o of P Par arents ents § 99.4 What are the rights of parents, custodial or noncustodial? FERPA affords full rights to either parent, unless the school has been provided with evidence that there is a court order, State statute or legally binding document that specifically revokes these rights. 12
Ri Rights ghts o of Stude Students nts § 99.5 What are the rights of students? When a student becomes an eligible student, the rights accorded to, and consent required of, parents under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student. Nothing in FERPA prevents an educational agency or institution from disclosing education records, or PII from education records, to a parent without the prior written consent of an eligible student if the disclosure meets the conditions in § 99.31(a)(8), § 99.31(a)(10), § 99.31(a)(15), or any other provision in § 99.31(a). 13
§ 99.7 W 99.7 Wha hat t mus must an ed t an educa ucational tional agenc gency or ins y or institution titution inc include in its lude in its annual notifica annual notification? tion? Schools must annually notify parents of students and eligible students in attendance of their rights under FERPA, including: right to inspect and review education records; right to request amendment of education records; right to consent to disclosures, with certain exceptions; and right to file a complaint with U.S. Department of Education. 14
Annual Notifi Annual Notifica cation tion The annual notification must also include the following: procedure to inspect and review education records; and a statement that education records may be disclosed to school officials without prior written consent, including: – specification of criteria for determining who are school officials; and – what constitutes a legitimate educational interest. 15
Inspec Inspection tion and and Review view of of Ed Educa ucation tion Reco ecord § 99.10 What rights exist for a parent or eligible student to inspect and review education records? School must comply with request within 45 days. Schools are generally required to give copies, or make other arrangements for access, only if failure to do so would effectively deny access – example would be a parent or eligible student who does not live within commuting distance. School may not destroy records if request for access is pending. 16
Inspec Inspection tion and and Review view, c , cont. ont. State educational agencies (SEAs) are required to afford parents and eligible students access to education records they maintain on students. Applies to records even if a copy of the records is available at the local educational agency (LEA). SEA may forward records to LEA to afford parents access to records they are seeking. 17
Inspec Inspection tion and and Review view (co (cont.) nt.) § 99.11 May an educational agency or institution charge a fee for copies of education records? Yes – unless imposing a fee effectively prevents a parent or eligible student from exercising his or her right to inspect and review education records. § 99.12 What limitations exist on the right to inspect and review education records? If the records contain information on more than one student, the requesting parent or eligible student may inspect, review, or be informed of only the specific information about his or her child’s records. 18
Wha hat ar t are the Pr e the Proce ocedur dures es for or Amending E Amending Educ ducation tion Reco ecords? ds? § 99. 20, § 99.21, § 99.22 Parent or eligible student should identify portion of record believed to contain inaccurate or misleading information. School must decide within reasonable period of time whether to amend as requested. If school decides not to amend, must inform parent or eligible student of right to a hearing. After a hearing, if decision is still not to amend, parent or eligible student has a right to insert a statement in the record. 19
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