Which law specifically addresses the confidentiality of student educational records and access to those records?

Which law specifically addresses the confidentiality of student educational records and access to those records?

• A. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
• B. IDEA
• C. HIPAA
• D. No Child Left Behind Act

Answer: (A)

The central idea here is the protection of student education records’ privacy and who may access them. The law that specifically governs this is FERPA, which requires schools to keep identifiable information in a student’s education records confidential and to obtain written consent before sharing those records with others, with certain allowed exceptions. It also gives parents and eligible students the right to inspect and review records, request amendments, and limit disclosures of personally identifiable information, such as to outsiders or nonessential staff, unless a legitimate exception applies. Understanding the other options helps place FERPA in context: IDEA focuses on special education services and the development of IEPs for students with disabilities; HIPAA covers privacy of health information in medical and some related settings; No Child Left Behind centers on standards and accountability for schools. When it comes to the confidentiality and access of student educational records, FERPA is the specific law that governs those protections.

The central idea here is the protection of student education records’ privacy and who may access them. The law that specifically governs this is FERPA, which requires schools to keep identifiable information in a student’s education records confidential and to obtain written consent before sharing those records with others, with certain allowed exceptions. It also gives parents and eligible students the right to inspect and review records, request amendments, and limit disclosures of personally identifiable information, such as to outsiders or nonessential staff, unless a legitimate exception applies.

Understanding the other options helps place FERPA in context: IDEA focuses on special education services and the development of IEPs for students with disabilities; HIPAA covers privacy of health information in medical and some related settings; No Child Left Behind centers on standards and accountability for schools. When it comes to the confidentiality and access of student educational records, FERPA is the specific law that governs those protections.