Get Your Students Hired
For each attempt to find student records there needs to be a form attached to it to track activity and reasoning behind it. This is for the protection and to avoid any ulterior motives outside of compliance.
Each item released from a student's record must be identified individually within a release; a generalized statement is not acceptable.
Student records for those over 18 cannot be released without permission to parents except when the student is determined to be a dependent by the IRS, there is an emergency, or the student is under 21 and has used drugs/alcohol. The latter is only if the state has not prohibited that exception.
Adjunct faculty can access a student previous grades if they can verify that they need it for legitimate school work.
FERPA is really necessary in all the aspects, it could put us in a lot of trouble that is why is good to know about it.
It's important for students to know what lists they will be excluded from if they opt-out for directory disclosure.
We always err on the side of caution when dealing with student information, and I didn't realize that parents could access information if they could prove that the student was a dependent. We have always used the rule that as long as the student isn't a minor (under 18) then their permission would be needed to contact/ discuss their progress, etc with a parent.
It was interesting to learn that directory information may be released unless the student opts out in writing. I was surprised what information may be released and not considered personal identifiers.
FERPA requires institutions to provide an annual notification regarding the student’s rights.
I learned which pieces of information may be considered sensitive information regarding students and also what sometimes is not sensitive. Included in sensitive information would be, race, gender, social security number, grades, gpa, country of citizenship and religion.
There are many specific regulations related to FERPA and what can and cannot be released, as well as when students may opt out of releasing information.
The difference between Directory and Non-Directory information... Directory would be non-sensitive things such as name, address, phone number, place of birth, etc. Non-Directory would be more sensitive and include Race, Gender or Social Security Number.
Whew! That section was a rough one. It had a whole lot of grey area. If this happens, then this is ok, but this is never ok unless this this and this happen, but when this happens you can never do that, this person can see this but that person can't.....I would need a black and white cheat sheet next to me at all times to memorize the ins and outs of this section.
I learned 2 things in the this module. I did not know anything around the rules for “directory” information and how these typically are not a violation of FERPA. The other thing I learned was being a dependent does not shield the student from information being shared with their parents. This is a light bulb moment for me because I automatically thought if the student was 18 and a legal adult, consent would be required but that is not always the case.