FERPA Overview
The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly known as FERPA, is a U.S. federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives parents, guardians, and students over the age of 18 the right to gain access to educational records and data and the right to have those records corrected. It also grants schools the right to disclose some identifiable information from the records in certain cases.
Jotform and FERPA
At Jotform, we take security seriously. We understand the importance of securing information systems and protecting data confidentiality, and want to reassure our educational institution customers that we will collaborate with them to deliver a high standard of service concerning their students’ sensitive data in accordance with FERPA.
Jotform works with educational providers to provide transparency about the handling and processing of student personal information in our forms, apps, and other products, to ensure compliance with FERPA.
Second, Jotform has implemented a robust security program to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of students’ personal information.
Finally, we value privacy and have implemented policies and procedures to provide safeguards that provide assurance to our customers and their users.
Why is FERPA important?
FERPA is important for higher education institutions because security measures put in place help prevent unauthorized disclosure and accessing of sensitive student information. FERPA also ensures that students and their guardians have ownership and control over their own data and encourages them to inspect and view their data freely.
Do you need to be FERPA compliant?
FERPA is a necessary and crucial piece of legislation that protects students’ information. All educational organizations should make protecting students’ information a top priority because any organization found in violation of FERPA could face investigation by the Department of Education, which could lead to the withdrawal of federal funding.
How do you achieve FERPA compliance?
Some things you can do include the following:
- Inform students and parents of their rights under FERPA.
- Provide data that has been requested to students or parents within 45 days of the request.
- Amend student records in a timely manner.
- Refuse to provide student records without written consent of either a guardian or a student over the age of 18.
*This information is provided for educational purposes. Consult with an attorney to ensure your compliance.