What does the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) primarily protect?

The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) primarily protects students’ educational rights by ensuring the confidentiality of their educational records. Under FERPA, students and their parents have the right to access these records, request amendments, and consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information. This law promotes privacy and security concerning student information, establishing boundaries on how educational institutions can share student data with third parties.

In this context, while aspects like teacher professional development, school funding allocations, and standardized testing protocols are relevant to the education system, they do not directly relate to the primary intentions and protections offered by FERPA. The focus of FERPA is specifically on safeguarding students' rights in relation to their educational information.