FERPA in Action | Origin: CM141
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
FERPA and Privacy: A Practical Approach --> FERPA in Action
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
There are so man y facets to FERPA that I believe employee training and oversight is essential. Providing extensive training for newly hired employees and providing updated training sessions on a regular basis, I believe is a critical element to the success of following and correctly implementing FERPA.
Reply to Joyce Hladky's post:
I agree Joyce. It's important that employees are properly trained and that appropriate oversight is provided. It's also another good idea to have regular training sessions to help instill the policies and procedures.
I learned that records obtained after a person is no longer a student, as long as they are not related to that student's attendance of the instutution, are not protected under FERPA.
Reply to Joyce Hladky's post:Joyce, I taught at a college for 30 years and have not had such an extensive training as this. The extensive informatoin that we are learning should be required for a new employee upon hiring.
There are many aspects to FERPA. Some of the identifiers and confidential information is similar to those regulations of HIPPA and working in a hospital setting.
FERPA has so many different aspects to it that it is important for everyone that works with students to know exactly what can and cannot be shared for information.
Knowledge of Ferpa can greatly benefit your interactions with your students.
I learned that if I decide to become a student I should not acess my own file I should always go through the proper channel to do.
I have learned that a graduate of a school that becomes an employee is also protected under FERPA.
I learned in this section that a student may refute something on their record with a permanent comment. This statement will be transferred on their permanent record upon any documentation request.
One thing I learned in this module is that students have the right to add a note to their permanent file if they feel the need to dis[pute a certain item, like attendance or a grade recieved. Where this may not change the schoolsdecision, it gives the student a chance to defend the action and is to e released with all permanent file release requests.
One's education record is protected for life. However, once that person dies, someone can request those education records. I also found it interesting that an employee who is also a student at the school cannot look up his/her grades as an employee. This is different from healthcare records, which ultimately belong to the individual whether he/she looks up the records as a patient or as an employee.
Reply to Sheila Heinert's post:
Excellent comparison! FERPA and HIPPA are essentially the same protection for the individual.
I agree that Ferpa and hippo are essentially the same protection for the individual.training is also necessary for employees.
I had an "a Ha" moment, I have a couple of Instructors, that are futhering their education, their access to grades, makes a difference, when it comes to their acces to their grades. Very good point.
Interesting that FERPA rights are no longer in effect when student or former student dies.
Students have a right to add a note to their records AND it has to be passed a long, when dealing with grades.
FERPA makes records obtainable, but you must follow procedures to gain access. After you graduate, your documents are not protected to an extent, and even if you die. It amazes me that a staff member as a student would try to look at their grades. They need to use the proper channels to access that data.
FERPA is not just about student's privacy it is also about the student's rights to his/ her educational records. Institutions need to observe the necessary and important protocols to protect students' records and the employees who get hired after proper screening should receive the necessary training. Students current and former have the same rights and procedures to protect their educational records and access them, although former students/ alumni may not receive the same considerations in some cases.
