What does FERPA stand for?

FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This federal law was enacted in 1974 to protect the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA, parents or guardians have the right to inspect and review their children's educational records, and upon reaching the age of 18, students gain these rights themselves. The law establishes that educational institutions must have written permission from the student or their parents in order to release any information from a student's education record, thus ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of educational data.

While other options presented include variations of the term, they do not accurately reflect the official name of the law. The use of "Federal" instead of "Family" or terms like "Empowerment" are incorrect and misrepresent the law's focus on familial rights concerning educational records. The emphasis on "Family" signifies the involvement of parents or guardians in the educational process, which is a key component of FERPA.