Reply to Joyce Hladky's post: will said
I was thought the same way.
I have learned that in order to ensure that only the required information is being released, the school officials have forms that they fill out to send the information.
I have learned that only the student or those who have the right to access the students record can view it. Unless authorized by the student.
One of the more aggressive take-aways from this portion of the reading was the explicit responsibility of the educational institution to annually notify students regarding all their rights. When I was an undergrad student, there was not this much energy and emphasis on FERPA compliancy-to the degree of severity as it is conveyed now. Privacy and autonomously have in many ways, become a human rights issue and I cannot image the historical concerns and issues before FERPA was in place to protect students and also, intuitions themselves.
Each institution needs to ensure clear guidance on its policy and when it doubt err on the side of caution
Certain criteria must be met when disclosing information about a student even if the student is still academically enrolled. Laws prohibit disclosure of things like grades and academic status.
Student information is private
A student's written consent is very important. As an institutional officer, it is better to err on the side of caution and not release info about a student without their consent, and even with the consent, always document the details of the release of the docs.
When in doubt alway and I mean always check the FERPA regs to make sure you are following the correct action taken.
With this section, I learned that being too careful is better than just feeling like you are being careful and not putting a lot of caution into how you release the information of a student. I do think that guidelines are made clear, however, it seems like it can be easier to do what you feel lis right versus what is actually right. If we take extra caution in the protection of our own privacy, we should do the same for students and their privacy rights. It can (and does feel) like a lot of information but it is all in place to help us.
FERPA Compliance has a lot of moving parts and can be very confusing. What ever institution needs is a clear, user-friendly policy for record, as well as solid training for school officials.
I learned that students should be provided an annual FERPA notification.
I was reminded of how institutions must determine educational interests’ legitimacy or obtain written student consent before allowing faculty members to access previously completed student coursework. Parental records assess when a student is deemed a dependent by the IRS or when a student is under 21 and alcohol and illegal drug use is involved. Understanding exceptions is as important as understanding best prctices when it comes to student information.
I apprecaite the rules of FERPA. At times, when following the appropriate guidelines, it is beneficial to share student information though the rules should be followed to do so. These policies ensure safety for the learner while also holding teachers to a standard ensuring best intent is followed.
Students need to understand that they can opt-out of directory listings and if they do than their name should be removed.
I learned about what is allowed in a Directory and what is not. The course went over how a student should be notified and have an opportunity to opt information out of the directory. I learned about the rules for sharing student information with third parties. It must be documented and only certain types of information can be shared for legitimate purposes. Sometimes a student's consent needs to be obtained.
This section had important information on FERPA on Annual disclosure to the students and what students can choose to disclose or not disclose about their information. It was also interesting to learn what can be disclosed without a students consent (14 conditions) for example when a student has been found to be a perpertrator of a crime. The important role of a Parent and the guidelines stipulated of when a consent is required and not required for a student's educational records. This information was very specific and useful to understand FERPA guidelines.
It is so important to know FERPA compliance. It not only protects the institution and its' employees, but the students as well. In addtion, certain procedues and policies must be in place for protection of the students' privacy.
I have learned that in order to comply with the regulations given by FERPA, it is mandatory to follow each instruction exactly as it is given. Understanding that this leads us to provide the best service for our educational community.
- I learned about the 5 W's
- Who
- What
- Where
- When
- Why
