Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Exam Questions With Verified Answers

Directory information - Answer Information which may be released without prior consent, FERPA requires that student's be notified annually of the types of information included in this category & be given an appropriate period in which to express in writing the preference for such information not to be released. Directory information is defined to include? - Answer the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. Define Educational Records as it pertains to the 1974 FERPA amendment, - Answer "those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to a student; and are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution." Prior to the 1974 FERPA included other items in the definition of "educational records" since then four categories have been excluded from the list of defining items - Answer The Four categories of records that were excluded: 1) records in the sole possession of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel; 2) records of a law enforcement unit which are kept apart from "education records," are maintained solely for law enforcement purposes, and are not made available 2 to persons other than law enforcement officials of the same jurisdiction, provided that personnel of a law enforcement unit do not have access to "education records"; 3) records of employees who are not also in attendance; and 4) physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist treatment records for eligible students. Right to Consent to the Disclosure of Education Records - Answer As originally enacted, covered institutions could not have a policy of permitting the release of personally identifiable records or files or personal information contained therein)or a policy or practice of furnishing, in any form, any personally identifiable information contained in personal school records unless there is written consent from parents specifying records to be released, reasons for release, and parties to whom records may be released. How did the 1990 Campus Security Act impact the rule of prior written consent? - Answer Post-secondary institutions may disclose to an alleged victim of any crime of violence (as defined in U.S. Code Title 18, § 16) the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against the alleged perpetrator of the crime, regardless of the outcome of the proceeding. Congress amended this provision in the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 by including "non-forcible sex offenses" and clarifying that only "final results" may be disclosed (i.e., name of student perpetrator, violation committed, and sanction imposed. Written consent is still required to disclose the name of any other student). How did the 2000 Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act impact FERPA? - Answer The statute is intended to ensure that an educational institution may disclose information concerning registered sex offenders provided to it under State sex offender registration and community notification programs. How does FERPA define "Educational Record? - Answer Educational records include, but are not limited to: • Grades/GPA • Student's Class Schedule • Test Scores • Academic Standing • Academic Transcripts FERPA, Minor Students & Parents? - Answer FERPA rights to privacy transfer to the student at age 18 or once he or she attends a post-secondary institution, regardless of age.