What legislation protects the privacy of educational records?

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is the legislation that specifically protects the privacy of educational records. Enacted in 1974, FERPA ensures that parents and eligible students have the right to access their educational records, seek to have them amended, and control the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in these records.

The law establishes guidelines for the destruction of records and mandates that schools must have written permission to release any information from a student's educational record, with certain exceptions. This framework is crucial for maintaining student privacy and confidentiality in the educational environment, thus reinforcing the trust between students, parents, and educational institutions.

In comparison, while other legislation like IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) focuses on the education of students with disabilities, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) relates to the privacy and security of health information, and SARFA (Student Aid Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Act) is related to student aid programs, none provide protection for the educational records in the manner that FERPA does.