You are moving your child into the dorm, freshman year is about to begin. You've paid that tuition bill, paid for room and board, paid for several pairs of jeans, paid for the micro fridge and a host of other dorm room and study aid items. You may be paying all those bills, but without two critical forms, you may find yourself blocked from accessing critical information about your college student.
FERPA? HIPAA?
Have you heard of FERPA? The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 provides parents the right to see academic records; however “when a student turns 18 years old or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, all rights afforded to parents under FERPA transfer to the student.”
Now, most colleges have a standard form that your student can sign authorizing you to view their academic records. With a little arm-twisting and power of the purse strings, most families are able to acquire access.
Likewise, make sure your student completes the HIPAA form (The Health Insurance Privacy and Accountability Act) authorizing you access to health information. This is an easy thing to forget about until you might need it. so get that form on file during freshman year.
According to the US Department of Education “Balancing Student Privacy and School Safety: A guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for Colleges and Universities” disclosure to parents is allowable without the student’s consent, under certain circumstances, for example:
Schools may disclose education records to parents if the student is a dependent for income tax purposes. (This pretty much takes care of the problem for most families.)
Schools may disclose education records to parents if a health or safety emergency involves their son or daughter.
Schools may inform parents if the student who is under age 21 has violated any law or its policy concerning the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
A school official may generally share with a parent information that is based on that official’s personal knowledge or observation of the student.
You've probably noticed that FERPA does not require the University/College to notify you of a health or safety emergency: it simply states that they "may" do so.
What does this mean?
If your child experiences severe depression, or stops going to class, is anyone going to notice? If they do, will someone tell you? If your child becomes seriously ill, will the school call you? These are good questions to ask and it is important to know how your son or daughter's school interprets FERPA. Find out what policies and protocols the school has in place regarding your student's safety and health.
Comments