Nelnet
October 26, 2026
In Brief:
- FERPA safeguards the privacy of students by ensuring that education records are handled with care.
- FERPA applies to all educational institutions that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education, including public and private schools, colleges, and universities. Non-compliance with FERPA can result in schools losing federal funding.
- In partnership with CampusGuard, we’ve compiled a list of seven common FERPA violations and how to avoid them.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in October 2024 and updated in March 2026 to reflect the latest U.S. Department of Education FERPA guidance, enforcement activity, and emerging compliance considerations related to AI, cybersecurity, and third-party education technology.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was designed to ensure that adult students have control over educational records and help protect the privacy of sensitive information.