Family Educational Rights And Privacy ACT (FERPA) Of 1974

FERPA allows parents or eligible students (18 years of age or older) the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school.

Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading.

Parents or eligible students have the right to file complaints against the school for disclosing educational records in violation of FERPA law.

Schools must have written permission from the parent or eliglble student in order to release any information form a student's education record.

An educational record is directly related to the student and is maintained by an educational agency or institution such as notes taken at a meeting about the student or notes kept by a teacher about a student which must be provided to parent or eligible student upon request. 

Directory information such as name of parent/student, phone number, or e-mail can be released to a 3rd party AND the parent or eligible student can choose to opt out of sharing that information. 

Non-Directory information such as social security number, grades, transcripts, and state ID number, CANNOT be released to anyone other than parent or eligible student without signed consent.