Family Education Rights Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

• Otherwise known as the Buckley Amendment.
• The law was designed to prevent any unlawful disclosures of student’s educational records or information.
• Guarantees the right of privacy of any student against third party disclosures. Once a student reaches 18 years of age, the student’s parents become a third party. In other words, the Vocational Independence Program (VIP) may not disclose student educational information without the express written consent of the student, even to his or her own parents.
• There are exceptions to this law that are worth noting. These exceptions are:
  • Situations that involve the health and safety of a student, disclosures without prior consent can occur.
  • The student signs a release of information granting VIP permission to speak to a third party.
  • The parent has provided the program proof of either legal guardianship or power of attorney.
  • The student has an active Individualized Education Program (IEP).  In this case the program can speak to both the parents and the school district funding the student’s placement.
  • The parent provides a completed federal income tax return from the most recent tax year claiming the student as a dependent.

**The program may disclose student information for directory purposes. Those students who do not wish to have their information contained in a program directory must request that their information be withheld. This request must be made in writing.