Why was FERPA passed in 1974?

[bluestateguy]

Does anyone here know the history of this law, namely why politicians felt it was necessary to establish it?

[ingac70]

1. ..

[sandnsea]

2. Parents used to couldn't see their kids' records

They could label your child any old way they wanted to and you had no idea they had done it. I remember when my son was in a new head start program for delayed development, they wrote something I disagreed with. I told the worker I didn't really like the wording and she said, well you just get to cross that right out and initial it, and I did. It's hard to believe parents couldn't see their kids' "permanent record", but they couldn't before FERPA.

On edit:

I think this is also about the time IEP's were implemented, and parental input was also required with those. Shuffling the disabled through school was no longer an option.

[tonysam]

3. It was known as the "Buckley Amendment"

It was put into law because there were cases of things being put in kids' cumulative files by teachers and others that were not appropriate and in fact were damaging to them later on. Parents and students could not see what was in those files. It is not true anymore.

link

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Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
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Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
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Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
o School officials with legitimate educational interest;
o Other schools to which a student is transferring;
o Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
o Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
o Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
o Accrediting organizations;
o To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
o Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
o State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

Legislative history of FERPA