Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The content of and access to student records in higher education are governed primarily by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Also known as the Buckley Amendment after its primary sponsor, New York State Senator James Buckley, FERPA was enacted into law in 1974. The two primary goals of FERPA, which applies to institutions receiving federal financial assistance, are to grant access to their records to eligible students, meaning those who are over the age of 18, and their parents, for those who are younger, while limiting the access of third parties. While FERPA applies equally to parents and eligible students who are over the age of 18 or who attend postsecondary schools, most litigation over FERPA has been filed by parents on ...