FERPA

FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) is a federal law pertaining to the release of and access to student educational records. FERPA protects students’ rights regarding the privacy and accuracy of education records. 

FERPA applies to all schools that receive funds under applicable programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions are responsible for ensuring that all of its school officials comply with FERPA. Failure to comply could ultimately lead to a withholding of funds administered by the Secretary of Education.

Resources

Compliance

Information on regulations and recent guidance, FERPA basics, and the AACRAO 2012 FERPA Guide.

FERPA Professor Archive

The FERPA Professor is dedicated to addressing inquiries regarding FERPA interpretation and application for professionals in the field of higher education on a continual basis.

FERPA Self-Assessment

Complete the Registrar’s Self-Assessment tool, which includes an entire section devoted to legal issues, including FERPA.

Publications

AACRAO offers a valuable library of resources on FERPA and other higher education issues.

Training

FERPA Compliance Online Training package

This interactive, online training course covers FERPA basics for all faculty and staff. The training focuses broadly on defining key terms from within the regulations and outlining what actions are required or permitted under FERPA and provides powerful tracking tools available within your Learning Management System (LMS), allowing you to check completion rates, pass rates, and particular areas of concern quickly and easily.

On-site training and Consulting

AACRAO Senior Fellow LeRoy Rooker, the nation's leading FERPA authority, provides tailored, on-campus FERPA training for faculty and staff, including student workers, and review your institution’s FERPA practices, provide an assessment and suggested best practices. 

Compliance Audits and Vendor Product Reviews

AACRAO Senior Fellow LeRoy Rooker, the nation's leading FERPA authority, conducts a comprehensive review, department by department, of business processes and products to find any non-compliant practices and issue a set of formal recommendations.