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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, was created to protect the privacy of student records. The Act provides for the right of the student to inspect and review educational records, the right to seek to amend those records and the right to limit disclosure of information from the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding. The College reserves the right to deny transcripts or make copies of records available when the student has an unpaid financial obligation to the College. WHAT ARE EDUCATION RECORDS? Education Records include any records in the possession of an employee which are shared with or accessible to another individual. The records may be handwritten or in the form of print or some other medium. FERPA coverage includes records, files, documents and data directly related to students. With certain exceptions, a student has rights of access to those records which are directly related to him/her and which are maintained by an educational institution or party authorized to keep records for the institution. WHO IS PROTECTED UNDER FERPA? Students who are currently enrolled in higher education institutions or were formerly enrolled regardless of their age or status in regard to parental dependency. Students who have applied but have not attended an institution are not protected. CAN PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR CHILD'S RECORDS? At the postsecondary level, parents have no inherent rights to inspect a student’s education records, regardless of the age of the student. The right to inspect is limited solely to the student. Records may be released to parents only under the following circumstances:
WHO IS ENTITLED TO STUDENT INFORMATION? Except for specific exceptions listed below, a signed and dated consent by the student must be obtained before any disclosure is made.
Kirkwood may also disclose information from a student’s education records:
WHAT IS DIRECTORY INFORMATION? The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act says that some information about students is directory information and a college may disclose it without being in violation of the law. Each school can formulate its own policy about what information it will release in the following categories: student’s name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, major field of study, participation in Kirkwood sports and activities, weight and height of athletes, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, previous schools/colleges attended, place and date of birth, class schedule, class roster, full or part-time status, photograph and emergency information. Upon request, Kirkwood may release information in the directory categories but addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, previous schools/colleges attended, date of birth, class schedules and class rosters are released only in specific predetermined situations. No more than one student should be inquired about in any contact. Please write or call Enrollment Services if you have questions about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. REQUIRED CONSENT TO DISCLOSE "PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION" FROM AN EDUCATION RECORD (INCLUDING TRANSCRIPTS) The written consent must:
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