How does FERPA influence the handling of student information by district administrators?

• A. FERPA allows unrestricted sharing of student data within the district.
• B. FERPA restricts disclosure of personally identifiable information without consent, requires secure data handling and access controls.
• C. FERPA permits disclosure to private vendors without any agreement.
• D. FERPA applies only to student grades and not other PII.

Answer: (B)

FERPA governs how student information is handled by district administrators by protecting privacy and controlling disclosures. It restricts the disclosure of personally identifiable information from a student’s education records unless there is written consent or a permitted exception (such as a school official with a legitimate educational interest or specific non-identifiable data practices). It also requires districts to implement secure data handling, appropriate access controls, and, when sharing with third parties, formal privacy and security agreements. This combination ensures that student information is used only for legitimate educational purposes and kept secure.

Unrestricted sharing within the district isn’t allowed under FERPA; access must align with legitimate educational interests or authorized purposes. Disclosure to private vendors requires a FERPA-compliant agreement and safeguards, not an open waiver. And FERPA covers more than just grades—it protects all education records containing PII, not only the grade information.