What is the significance of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

• A. It ensures students receive free education
• B. It requires schools to report academic progress
• C. It protects the privacy of student education records
• D. It mandates attendance tracking for all students

Answer: (C)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is significant because it establishes important privacy protections for students' education records. Under FERPA, parents and eligible students have the right to access their educational records, request amendments to those records, and control the disclosure of personally identifiable information without consent. This is crucial in fostering a safe educational environment where students and families can trust that sensitive information, such as grades and personal information, is handled securely and confidentially. By protecting privacy, FERPA supports the principle of student autonomy and the right to control one’s personal information in the educational context.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary focus of FERPA, which is strictly related to privacy and confidentiality rather than free education, academic reporting, or attendance tracking.