Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a United States federal law that governs the access to educational information and records by public entities such as potential employers, publicly funded educational institutions, and foreign governments. The act is also referred to as the Buckley Amendment, for one of its proponents, Senator James L. Buckley of New York.

FERPA is a U.S. federal law that regulates access and disclosure of student education records. It grants parents access to their child's records, allows amendments, and controls disclosure. After a student turns 18, their consent is generally required for disclosure. The law applies to institutions receiving U.S. Department of Education funds and provides privacy rights to students 18 years or older, or those in post-secondary institutions. Disclosure is permitted to parents of dependent students, and medical records are usually protected under FERPA rather than HIPAA. The law has faced criticism for concealing non-educational public records.