The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other regulations give parents and older students tools for reviewing, understanding and correcting education records. FERPA applies to public and private educational agencies and institutions that receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education

FERPA requires schools to allow parents to view their children's education records. When a student reaches ag 18 or enters postsecondary education, all FERPA rights transfer from the parent and become the student's exclusively. The right to view education records covers all records directly related to the student. This includes written records along with information kept on film, on tape, in computers or in any other form. FERPA also requires schools to respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records.

A school must answer a request to view records within a reasonable time, and within 45 days at the most. Many schools will provide copies of records upon request. However, FERPA requires schools to provide copies only if failure to do so would effectively prevent the parent or student from exercising the right to inspect and review the recores. A parent who cannot go to the school to view records because of health or transportation problems, for example, should receive copies under this rule, as should a parent who needs outside help in analyzing the records. Schools may not charge a fee for copying records if the fee would prevent a parent or student from exercising the right to review the records. Schools may never charge a fee for searching for records; only for copying costs.

Parents or students who find that an education record is wrong or misleading have the right to ask the school to change the record. They also have the right to ask for changes if what is in the record violates the student's privacy or other rights. If the school will not make the changes, parents or students have the right to a hearing.

Parents and students who believe these or other FERPA rights have been violated may file a written complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4605.