Student Records

Both federal and state laws include special provisions to protect the confidentiality of records of students in Tennessee schools. Tennessee’s public records statutes specifically provide for the confidentiality of such records.^[1]  But more significant than our state statutes is a complex set of  federal law that provides extensive regulations controlling the inspection, amendment, and disclosure of educational records. The primary federal statute addressing student records is the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act” (FERPA).^[2]  This law outlines who can and cannot access student education records and establishes rights for both parents and students in regard to these records.