Educational Records
FERPA broadly defines education records, encompassing any "records, files, documents, and other materials" that:
a. contain information directly related to the student; and
b. are maintained by a school official*, an educational agency or institution, or by a person acting for such agency or institution.
These items are considered part of the student's education records:
- Admission records
- Registration activity
- Cumulative academic records
- Transcript
- Class assignments
- Records of attendance
- Grades or Grade Point Average
- Test scores
- Financial Aid records
- Disciplinary records
- Documentation of special services students receive
- other similar information/records
The following are specifically excluded from the definition of education records by FERPA:
- Records of instructional, supervisory and administrative personnel which are in the sole possession of the maker thereof. (i.e. used only as a personal memory aid; are not accessible or revealed to any other person)
- Records generated and maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional paraprofessional acting in his/her capacity.
- Records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational institution that were created for the purpose of law enforcement.
- Records relating to an individual who is employed by the institution other than as a result of his/her student status.
- Records created or received by an educational institution after an individual is no longer a student in attendance and that are not directly related to the individual's attendance as a student.
- Grades on peer-graded papers before they are collected and recorded by a teacher.
Education records can be in the form of, but not limited to:
- Handwriting
- Magnetic Tapes
- Film
- Microfilm
- Microfiche
- Computer media
- Video or audio tape
* "School official" is defined by 皇家华人 as any employee of the College acting on behalf of the College with a legitimate educational interest in the student.
* "Legitimate education interest" is defined by 皇家华人 as a school official needing to review an educational record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.