{"322571":{"#nid":"322571","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Top 5 Things to Know About FERPA","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProgress reports are coming and parents are often quite anxious to learn how their student is performing at Tech. If a parent contacted you about a student\u2019s grades, would you know how to handle the situation?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudent education records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act \u2014 known to most as FERPA,\u201d said Georgia Tech Registrar Reta Pikowsky. \u201cTaking a moment to familiarize yourself with this legislation can go a long way in helping you, and the Institute, avoid problems down the road.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere are the top five things that every faculty and staff member should know about this federal law:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFERPA gives students rights.\u003C\/strong\u003E Under the law, students have the right to inspect and review their education records; to request an amendment to their records if they think something is inaccurate or misleading; to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their records; and to file a complaint with the Department of Education regarding FERPA noncompliance.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEach institution is unique.\u003C\/strong\u003E Colleges and universities have not implemented FERPA in the same way. For example, under FERPA, institutions are allowed to have their own definition of \u201cdirectory information.\u201d What is considered \u201cdirectory\u201d or \u201cpublic\u201d information at one institution can be different at another.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECertain student information should never be shared.\u003C\/strong\u003E At Tech, there are some kinds of information you should never provide without student permission including student ID numbers, citizenship, gender, ethnicity, religious preferences, grades, GPAs, and daily class schedules. Since these things are not defined as \u201cdirectory information\u201d at Tech they can\u2019t be shared without permission.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERecords are protected from the get-go.\u003C\/strong\u003E This means student records are protected by FERPA as soon as an admitted student registers for classes, and under Tech policy, as soon as a student applies for admission.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen in doubt, don\u2019t give it out.\u003C\/strong\u003E If you have FERPA questions or concerns, contact Pikowsky\u2019s office at 404-894-4181.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the best method for parents to understand their student\u2019s grades is to communicate with their student. If a parent persists, a student can print their unofficial transcript at any time and may request an official transcript be sent to their parents.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Progress reports are coming and parents are often quite anxious to learn how their student is performing at Tech. If a parent contacted you about a student\u2019s grades, would you know how to handle the situation?"}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2014-09-08 11:22:23","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:04","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-09-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-09-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.catalog.gatech.edu\/genregulations\/ferpa.php","title":"FERPA Policy at Georgia Tech"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.registrar.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech\\\u0027s Office of the Registrar"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.parents.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Parents Program"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1767","name":"FERPA"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReta Pikowsky\u003Cbr \/\u003E Office of the Registrar\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404.894.4181\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}