Introduction to ferpa module 1

Protecting the Privacy

of Student Data

Data Stewardship Practices for School Registrars

12/03/14 Barbara Solomon Information Systems Data Manager

School District Five5’s school registrars

maintain and respect the confidentiality of student and school personnel information.

They are data professionals who exercise mature judgment in working with confidential information.

Protecting Student Data 12/03/14

Data Stewardship

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act


What is FERPA?

• Is a federal privacy law enacted in 1974

• Governs the disclosure of student education records

• Grants parent and students rights related to education records

In the United States, education

records at public schools

or

at schools that receive public funding fall under FERPA’s jurisdiction.


Who Falls Under FERPA Jurisdiction?

Under FERPA, parents may:


Parental Rights

• gain access to their children’s education records,

• request to have the records amended,

• consent, via signature, to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.

Under FERPA, a school:


School Responsibilities

• Must comply with a parent’s request to inspect and review education records within 45 days of the request.

• Must NOT destroy records if a request for access is pending.

• This notification must be accessible to all parents, including those who are disabled or do not speak English.


School Responsibilities (cont.)


Must notify parents annually of their rights.



School Responsibilities (cont.)

• each request for access to an educational record

• each disclosure from an education record

• names of educational authorities that may further disclosure PII from the student’s education records without consent

Must maintain a record of

FERPA: Terms to Master


Education Records

• directly relate to the student

• are maintained by an educational agency (or other party/institution acting for the educational agency)

• may be in any format; paper, video, audio, etc.


What is an Education Record?

They are NOT, law enforcement records, alumni records, peer-graded papers or staff or faculty records made for personal use.

• a list of personal characteristics that would make the student’s identity easily traceable

• any other information that would make the student’s identity easily traceable.


What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?

PII is…

Directory Information is… Personally Identifiable Information

that is NOT considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.


What is Directory Information (DI)?

School District 5 defines Directory Information as follows:

• student's name • photograph • grade level • school to which he/she is assigned • years of attendance at that school • awards received • participation in officially recognized activities and sports • weight and height of athletic team members


What is Directory Information?

• Public notice must be given to parents of actively enrolled students concerning “directory information.”

• Parents have the right to ‘opt out’ and not allow the disclosure of directory information.


Directory Information and Parental Rights

What are the FERPA

enforcement provisions?


• FPCO investigates complaints and violations under FERPA. • Parents and eligible students may file complaints within 180 days

with FPCO. • If an school or district that receives Federal Department of Ed.

funds violates FERPA, FPCO may bring an enforcement action against that entity.

• Enforcement actions include withholding payment, cease and desist orders, and compliance agreements.


FERPA Enforcement

The Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO)