Navigating FERPA as a School Administrator

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before….

You’re an elementary principal with an angry parent in your office. They are upset that their child has been given some significant consequences for their actions as part of a fight with another student. The parent wants to know who started it and what are the consequences for the other child. “Absolutely, I can tell you what we learned about the altercation, but unfortunately, I can’t talk with you about the consequences for the other child.” 

Now you have an even more upset parent in your office.

In my fifteen years as a principal and central office administrator, I had this and similar conversations about student confidentiality more times than I can remember. And one thing I can remember from those conversations is it was my responsibility to understand the law, protect the students as the law intends, and help others learn more about it. Whether it was educating parents about the privacy rights of students, reminding staff not to post pictures of students on social media or telling office staff to not allow volunteers to have access to student records, dealing with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) compliance was an important part of my work as an educational administrator and continues for those who are in these roles today.

What is FERPA?

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal privacy law enacted in 1974 that governs how schools receiving funds from the U.S. Department of Education manage and protect students’ education records. It gives parents (and eligible students) the right to:

• Access education records

• Request corrections to inaccurate information

• Control the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII)

• File complaints for violations

  
  

What Every Principal Needs to Know About FERPA and Confidentiality

Education records are more than just report cards. FERPA defines them as records that are directly related to a student and maintained by the school. This includes:

• Academic records and transcripts

• Disciplinary reports

• Special education documentation

• Class schedules and attendance records

• Emails or notes that include student-specific information

• Audio/video recordings that can identify a student

  
  

The Messiness of Interpretation

One of the first things I learned as a principal is that FERPA is not as black-and-white as it appears on paper. The law’s language includes terms like "educational interest," "education records," and "directory information," yet these are often open to interpretation. What exactly qualifies as a “legitimate educational interest”? Is a counselor reviewing a student’s grades for support purposes included? How about a coach? These are not always clear-cut decisions.

I often found myself walking a tightrope. Too strict an interpretation, and I impede the ability of staff to support students. Too lenient, and I risk violating a student’s right to privacy. FERPA doesn’t always provide explicit guidance when decisions must be made, and that gray area can be nerve-wracking.

Parental Rights and Family Conflicts

Another challenge that surfaces frequently is managing parental rights. FERPA grants all parents access to their child’s educational records, regardless of custody, unless a court order says otherwise. In reality, this puts us in some incredibly difficult situations.

I’ve had divorced parents show up at school demanding records or access to their child, often without clear legal documentation. In one case, a non-custodial parent asked to attend a parent-teacher conference, citing FERPA. Without a legal background, I had to wade through custody paperwork and consult with our district’s legal team before making a call. It’s not easy being caught between the law, a family’s personal dynamics, and what’s best for the student academically and emotionally.

Staff Training and Inadvertent Violations

While I was ultimately responsible for FERPA compliance in my building, I depended on my staff to carry out privacy practices day in and day out. That’s easier said than done. I’ve seen well-meaning teachers post classroom charts with student names and grades or learning data or post pictures of students on social media without the proper permission from parents. These actions aren’t malicious—but they can still be FERPA violations. 

My role was that of both enforcer and educator, helping staff understand the nuance between effective teaching practices and legal obligations. Every email, printed grade sheet, or student behavior note has the potential to trigger a violation if mishandled.

The Technology Tightrope

In recent years, the explosion of educational technology has made FERPA compliance even more complicated. Many schools use digital gradebooks, online learning platforms, attendance software, and even behavioral tracking systems. All of these tools are integrated, often cloud-based, and involve storing student data electronically.

With this digital shift comes increased vulnerability. I’m not a data security expert - I relied heavily on district-level tech teams and legal counsel for support - but I was the point of contact when parents raised concerns.

And things do go wrong. A few years ago, a staff member accidentally emailed a report card to the wrong parent due to an autofill error. It was an honest mistake, but it created a breach we had to report and document. Incidents like this underscore how easily FERPA violations can happen, even in a well-meaning, organized school.

Emergencies and Safety Concerns

Balancing student privacy with school safety is one of the most challenging parts of a principal’s job. FERPA allows for disclosure of student information without consent in a “health or safety emergency,” but determining what constitutes such an emergency isn’t always clear.

For example, if a student makes a vague threat or shows signs of self-harm, do I notify parents? The police? Mental health professionals? What if the threat turns out to be nothing, but I’ve shared sensitive information unnecessarily? I often had to make these decisions quickly and with limited information. In the moment, I aimed to protect all students and staff, but I’m also acutely aware that I could be judged in hindsight—legally and ethically—for what I decided to share or withhold.

Vendor and Third-Party Contracts

Beyond the school’s walls, FERPA compliance extends to every organization we work with—third-party tutoring programs, external therapists, and academic consultants. Many of these groups need access to certain student data to do their jobs, but I was responsible for ensuring they have the right permissions and safeguards in place.

It’s another layer of legal oversight that became part of my day-to-day work.

The Weight of Responsibility

Ultimately, what makes FERPA compliance for school principals so challenging isn’t just the law itself—it’s the weight of responsibility that comes with it. We have to protect students, build trust with families, support staff, and maintain legal compliance, all while running a school with hundreds of moving parts.

There’s no FERPA police patrolling the halls, but the consequences of a violation—loss of federal funding, bad publicity, legal action—can be severe. Just as importantly, a breach of trust with families can do lasting damage. Parents expect schools to safeguard their children’s information as closely as we protect their physical safety. That’s a responsibility we all take seriously, even when it means staying up late reading legal guidance or working with the district attorney’s office on a particularly thorny issue.

Navigating FERPA: Practical Tips for Principals and Administrators

Permitted without consent:

• Directory information, such as name, address, phone number, or grade level—if the school has informed parents/students and given them the option to opt out.

• School officials with legitimate educational interest

• Transfer to another school where the student is enrolling

• In connection with financial aid, audits, or compliance

• In health or safety emergencies

  
  

Not permitted without written consent:

• Sharing grades or student behavior with unauthorized staff or other parents

• Posting student work publicly with names attached

• Discussing student information in public places

• Sharing student emails or data with third-party vendors who are not under contract or agreement

  
  

Common FERPA Pitfalls to Avoid

• Accidentally emailing a class list with student IDs

• Leaving graded papers in public view

• Sharing login credentials with colleagues

• Using student names/photos in marketing without consent

• Discussing sensitive student details in casual conversations

  
  

Conclusion

I was recently asked how I learned to interpret and use the requirements of FERPA so that students’ privacy rights were protected appropriately. My answer involved four parts: 1) I read the law and related articles to learn more about it and my role in using it; 2) I consulted frequently with central office staff and our district lawyers to make sure I was interpreting the law and acting appropriately; 3) I collaborated with my colleagues to discuss FERPA and how to ensure my actions were appropriate; and 4) when in a situation with parents, staff, or others, I was never afraid to say “I don’t know” and to ask for time to clarify our next steps in that situation.

FERPA is a necessary law, one that plays a vital role in protecting students and their families. But from a principal’s standpoint, it can also be a source of anxiety and complexity. It requires constant attention, ongoing staff and parent/guardian training, collaboration with legal and tech experts, and sometimes difficult decision-making under pressure. I learned to approach FERPA not just as a legal obligation, but as a central part of my leadership—one that demands empathy, diligence, and a deep respect for the trust families place in our schools.