Print
United States FERPA Requirements
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a U.S. federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA applies to all schools that receive funds through an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. The Act grants parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records; these rights transfer to the student when they reach the age of 18 or attend a school beyond the high school level.
Here are some ways that Zoptiks ensures compliance with FERPA:
1. Obtain Consent: Unless there is an applicable exception, obtain written consent from parents (or eligible students) before disclosing any personally identifiable information (PII) from a student's education records.
2. Limit Data Collection and Retention: Collect and retain only the necessary data needed for educational purposes. Regularly review and delete unnecessary or outdated data.
3. Implement Security Measures: Use secure systems and practices to store and transmit student data. This includes physical security measures (like locked rooms for servers or files), technological measures (like encryption and secure passwords), and administrative measures (like training for anyone accessing student data).
4. Train Employees: Ensure that employees who handle student data are trained on FERPA requirements and the company's related policies and procedures.
5. Have Clear Policies and Procedures: Develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures for handling student data. This should include procedures for responding to data breaches.
6. Contracts with Schools: When working with schools, include specific language in contracts about FERPA compliance, such as the requirement for parental consent before disclosure and security measures to protect student data.
7. Respond to Requests: Have procedures in place to respond to requests from parents or eligible students to access or amend education records. While these requests will often go to the school directly, an EdTech company may need to assist with the response.
8. Annual Notification: Ensure schools provide annual notification to parents or eligible students about their rights under FERPA. The notice must include the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
Here are some ways that Zoptiks ensures compliance with FERPA:
1. Obtain Consent: Unless there is an applicable exception, obtain written consent from parents (or eligible students) before disclosing any personally identifiable information (PII) from a student's education records.
2. Limit Data Collection and Retention: Collect and retain only the necessary data needed for educational purposes. Regularly review and delete unnecessary or outdated data.
3. Implement Security Measures: Use secure systems and practices to store and transmit student data. This includes physical security measures (like locked rooms for servers or files), technological measures (like encryption and secure passwords), and administrative measures (like training for anyone accessing student data).
4. Train Employees: Ensure that employees who handle student data are trained on FERPA requirements and the company's related policies and procedures.
5. Have Clear Policies and Procedures: Develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures for handling student data. This should include procedures for responding to data breaches.
6. Contracts with Schools: When working with schools, include specific language in contracts about FERPA compliance, such as the requirement for parental consent before disclosure and security measures to protect student data.
7. Respond to Requests: Have procedures in place to respond to requests from parents or eligible students to access or amend education records. While these requests will often go to the school directly, an EdTech company may need to assist with the response.
8. Annual Notification: Ensure schools provide annual notification to parents or eligible students about their rights under FERPA. The notice must include the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.