FERPA Practice

[RebeccaSpencer]

What is the name of your state? Indiana
Is it a violation of FERPA to email a schedule that contains only student names and the name of the preceptor they are assigned to for that day? The email went directly to the preceptors participating in the educational activity. There were no date of births, last four of SSN, grades/transcripts, or any other personal information contained in the schedule other than the name of the student and preceptor. Thank you.

 

[FlyingRon]

What is the nature of the "preceptor." Generally, FERPA exempts passing student information to other school officials with legitimate educational interest in the content.

 

[quincy]

Links to FERPA and a guide on what is considered confidential:

https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/node/548/

https://cms.fordham.edu/download/downloads/id/1843/03a_-_principals_guide_to_ferpa.pdf

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

I can't imagine giving a teacher a list of names of their students would be banned.

 

[quincy]

It doesn’t sound like a violation unless perhaps the preceptors are identified in some way.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

It doesn’t sound like a violation unless perhaps the preceptors are identified in some way.

Are teachers in some way protected by FERPA?

 

[quincy]

Are teachers in some way protected by FERPA?

I am thinking of specialized services that some students need.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

I am thinking of specialized services that some students need.

Got ya, but I don't think allowing teachers to know that little Timmy is in the special needs class is going to be a violation.

The email went directly to the preceptors participating in the educational activity.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state? Indiana
Is it a violation of FERPA to email a schedule that contains only student names and the name of the preceptor they are assigned to for that day? The email went directly to the preceptors participating in the educational activity. There were no date of births, last four of SSN, grades/transcripts, or any other personal information contained in the schedule other than the name of the student and preceptor. Thank you.

May I ask what your role is in this? Are you a parent of one of the students?
If the list of teachers assigned to students was only transmitted to the teachers, then there really is nothing wrong here.

 

[quincy]

Got ya, but I don't think allowing teachers to know that little Timmy is in the special needs class is going to be a violation.

I am reluctant to say whether or not what is intended is a FERPA violation. It doesn’t sound like a violation to me, based strictly on what has been said but, like FlyingRon, I would want to know more about the “preceptor.” I know in at least one school district in my area of Michigan, there can be preceptors who are not educators.

 

[RebeccaSpencer]

What is the nature of the "preceptor." Generally, FERPA exempts passing student information to other school officials with legitimate educational interest in the content.

The preceptors are the nurses the students are following day to day. The preceptors are identified by 1st name only.

 

[Zigner]

I know in at least one school district in my area of Michigan, there can be preceptors who are not educators.

If the "preceptor" is not acting in an educational capacity, then FERPA still isn't violated, because educational records aren't being released...

 

[Zigner]

The preceptors are the nurses the students are following day to day. The preceptors are identified by 1st name only.

It makes complete sense that each nurse would know who each student is assigned to.

 

[quincy]

The preceptors are the nurses the students are following day to day. The preceptors are identified by 1st name only.

Why are students following the nurses?

 

[zddoodah]

Is it a violation of FERPA to email a schedule that contains only student names and the name of the preceptor they are assigned to for that day?

Is it a violation for who to email that list to the "preceptors"? Why would a student be assigned to a "preceptor" for only a day?

The preceptors are the nurses the students are following day to day.

Why would a "preceptor" (a word that means a teacher) be a nurse, and why would a student be following a nurse? Are you talking about college or graduate level nursing students?

And what would make you think this might violate FERPA?