Concordia University Parent Guide
What Parents Need to Know About FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a Federal law that protects the rights of students by defining who has access to student educational records. Educational records are all records that:
- are maintained by Concordia University Irvine
- are related to the student
When your student was in elementary, middle, and high school, FERPA gave you, as the parent, the right to access and control your student’s educational records.
Now that your student is in college, these same laws transfer ownership of the educational records directly to the student; therefore, parents have no inherent rights to view, change, or control the student’s educational records.
But what if I want access?
Your student can give you access to his/her educational records, so it is important that you communicate your desire for access with your student.
Your student can complete a release form specifying the information to be released and to whom the information is released. This is done on a case-by-case basis. Concordia does not maintain a “blanket” release (a release for a specific period of time, i.e. term, year, etc). Each time information is requested, your student needs to complete a release form. To access the Consent Form, follow the link below and click on question 4.
