FERPA Training
(Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

 

What are the 2 basic steps that UNT must  follow to be in compliance with FERPA?

1.  Notify current students annually in writing of their rights under FERPA.

• Right to seek amendment or correction of educational records
• Right to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records except when release is permitted by law
• Right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office, United States Department of Education, within 180 days of alleged violation
• Since UNT has a policy of disclosing personally identifiable information to school officials:
  • The criteria for determining school officials
  • A description of what constitutes legitimate educational interest

Student rights are published in the Schedule of Classes web site for each semester under "Public Information Policy and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act." 

2.  Grant access by students or parents, if applicable, to education records.

• Students and former students have the right to inspect and review their education records through established procedures.
  • Within a maximum of 45 days after written request is received.
• Institution or agency is not required to provide a copy of the education record unless failure to do so would deny access.
  • Records cannot be destroyed if request is pending.
  • Fee can be charged unless cost prohibits access.
• Students and former students have the right to review records of request for disclosure of their personally identifiable information.
  • Institution needs to maintain records of request and make them available to students.
• A record of disclosure is not required to document disclosure to:
  • a student or parent.
  • a school official with a legitimate educational interest.
  • an individual to whom the student provides written consent for disclosure,
  • an individual providing a lawfully issued subpoena
  • an individual requesting directory information.

 

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