Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA)

Letter to a parent explaining that FERPA applies to educational agencies and institutions that receive federal funds from programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education and that FERPA does not apply to private schools at the elementary and secondary levels because they do not generally receive such funds.

Joint Letter From Secretary Paige and Secretary Rumsfeld details the provisions under No Child Left Behind that requires high schools to provide to military recruiters, upon request, access to secondary school students and directory information on those students.

Created in 2002, this FAQ explains the changes made by Congress concerning military recruitment of high school students under No Child Left Behind.

Letter to Kennesaw State University, Georgia providing clarification on certain provisions of FERPA.

Letter to the Assistant Attorney General of Washington, for Washington State University, explaining that a parking ticket issued to a student is an "education record" under FERPA unless the ticket was issued and maintained by the University's law enforcement unit as a "law enforcement unit record."

Letter to attorney for university explaining that records, including motor vehicle information, on students regarding violations of local housing or other regulations maintained by school officials outside the university's law enforcement unit are protected as "education records" under FERPA.

Letter to University of Massachusetts regarding FERPA as it relates to a request for information received from the Graduate Employee Organization. 

Letter regarding the definition of directory information and disclosures to law enforcement.

Letter addressing the Department's interpretation that an IRS summons constitutes a "lawfully issued subpoena" under FERPA.

This document explains some of the major legislative changes made to FERPA over its 40 year history.  It was last updated in June of 2002.