In accordance with final regulations published on November 21, 1996, educational agency's and institution's are no longer required by FERPA to have a written student records policy. However, they are required to supply students in attendance with an annual notification of the rights available under FERPA. Notification must include, in short:
. the right to inspect and review.
. the right to request amendment of records.
. the right to consent to disclosure , with certain exceptions.
. the right to file a complaint with U.S. Department of Education .
The institution's annual notification must now also include:
. the procedure for inspection and review of records.
. the procedure for requesting amendment of records.
. a statement indicating that education records may be disclosed to school officials without prior written consent, including:° specification of criteria for determining who are school officials and
° what constitutes a legitimate educational interest.
Means of Notification
FERPA does not require a specific means of notification. They must, nonetheless, be reasonably likely to inform the students. Some common mediums for publishing an institution's annual notification include:
. Student handbooks
. School newspapers or catalogs
. Local newspaper
. Inclusion in registration packets