FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It’s a law that protects student education records and gives parents certain rights. When students turn 18 or start college, these rights shift to them.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. Studies show that homeschooled students are accepted to college at rates comparable to or higher than their traditionally schooled peers, and they tend to earn higher GPAs in their first year of college (Journal of College Admission, 2010).
What are FERPA rights?
FERPA, or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, was passed in 1974. It keeps student education records private. Parents get three main rights:
- They can access their child's education records.
- They can ask to correct any wrong information.
- They control who gets to see those records. When a student turns 18 or goes to college, these rights move to the student.
When FERPA applies to homeschoolers
FERPA applies mainly to schools that get federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Since independent homeschools don’t receive this funding, they aren’t covered by FERPA. However, if your homeschooled child takes classes at a public school, joins sports, uses special education services, or takes standardized tests through public schools, FERPA applies. Records from these activities are protected.
The dual enrollment FERPA trap
Here’s a surprise for many homeschool families: if your child takes college courses while still in high school, FERPA rights go to them right away, no matter their age. This means parents can’t see grades, attend advising sessions, or talk to college counselors. To stay in the loop, have your student sign a FERPA waiver. This lets the college share info with you. Without it, you might miss out on your 14-year-old's college records.
What FERPA actually allows
There are some myths about FERPA. Colleges can share info with parents if:
- The student is claimed as a dependent on taxes.
- There’s a health or safety emergency.
- There are alcohol or drug violations for students under 21. Schools can also share info based on what they observe, not just what’s in records. Parents can correct wrong information but can’t change grades just because they disagree with them.
The bottom line
For everyday homeschooling, FERPA might not come up much. But as soon as your student interacts with federally funded schools—like taking classes, using testing services, or enrolling in college—it’s important to understand FERPA. The key takeaway? Always have your dual-enrolled student sign a FERPA waiver to keep access to their records. A little effort now avoids big headaches later.
