FERPA: A Parents Essential Guide to Privacy

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FERPA: A Parents Essential Guide to Privacy

Okay, so, FERPA. FERPA and College: Privacy Rights After 18 . Its a mouthful, right? And honestly, trying to figure it out can feel like wading through alphabet soup. But, basically, its this law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (hence, FERPA), thats all about protecting your kids educational records. Think of it as like, a privacy shield for their school stuff.


Now, who does this apply to? managed services new york city Well, it covers pretty much any school that gets money from the U.S. Department of Education. Which is, like, almost all of em! So, from kindergarten all the way up to college, generally, FERPA is in play.


What kind of stuff are we talkin about being protected? Everything! Grades, transcripts, disciplinary records, even contact information in some cases. Anything that the school keeps on file about your child. Its all supposed to be kept confidential. No just handing it out willy-nilly.


Heres where it gets a little tricky though. When your kid turns 18, or starts going to college (even if theyre younger than 18), the rights under FERPA transfer to them. Not you, the parent.

FERPA: A Parents Essential Guide to Privacy - managed service new york

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Yikes! Suddenly, theyre the ones who decide if you get to see their grades, or know if theyre, like, skipping class a lot.


Now, there are exceptions. Schools can share information with parents if the student is still a dependent (according to IRS rules), or in case of a health or safety emergency. Like, if your kid is seriously ill, the school can probably tell you about it, even if they usually wouldn't. Makes sense, right?


But, for the most part, its up to the student to decide who gets to see their records. You can ask your kid to sign a waiver, giving the school permission to talk to you. Some colleges even have forms for this. But, they dont have to sign it. And that can be a tough pill to swallow, you know? Suddenly feeling out of the loop.


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So, what can you do?

FERPA: A Parents Essential Guide to Privacy - managed service new york

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Talk to your kid! Communication is key. Try to establish open lines of communication early on, so when they get to college, theyre more likely to share information with you anyway. And remember, its their education, their privacy.

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Even if its hard, respecting that is important. Its all part of growing up, I guess.

FERPA: A Parents Essential Guide to Privacy - managed services new york city

    And FERPA, in its own weird, complicated way, is a part of that too! It makes things a little more, um, interestin, doesnt it?