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
  • Print
  • Magnetic Tapes
  • Film
  • Microfilm
  • Microfiche
  • Computer media
  • Video or audio tape

* "School official" is defined by Green River 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 Green River as a school official needing to review an educational record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.