Which act protects the privacy of student education records?

• A. FISMA
• B. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• C. HIPAA
• D. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

Answer: (B)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects the privacy of student education records. It applies to all educational institutions that receive federal funds and gives students and their parents rights to access and control those records, including the ability to inspect records and request amendments to inaccurate information. It also restricts the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records without consent, with clear exceptions such as disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests, transfers to other schools, or in emergencies. Directory information can be disclosed unless the student opts out. The other acts govern privacy in different areas: FISMA covers federal agencies’ information security, HIPAA protects health information, and GLBA governs financial information for financial institutions. For protecting student education records, FERPA is the applicable law.