What kind of records does FERPA protect?

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, primarily protects student educational records and private information. This federal law is designed to give parents and eligible students more control over their educational records. Under FERPA, educational records encompass any records that are directly related to a student and maintained by an educational institution or a party acting on its behalf.

This includes not only grades and transcripts but also class lists, student schedules, and any other information that could identify a student. The privacy protections under FERPA ensure that this sensitive data cannot be disclosed without appropriate consent, thus safeguarding students’ personal information and educational history from unauthorized access.

In contrast, teacher evaluations and feedback, along with school budgets and policies, do not fall under the protections outlined by FERPA, as they pertain to staff and institutional operations rather than student personal information.