Who qualifies as a school official under FERPA?

Under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), a school official is defined specifically as someone who has a legitimate educational interest and is performing a task within the context of their official duties for the educational institution. This can include teachers, administrators, and support staff who need to access student records in order to fulfill their responsibilities regarding student education, safety, and wellbeing.

This definition is crucial for understanding how FERPA balances the need to protect student privacy with the need for school officials to access information to support student learning and institutional operations. The concept of "legitimate educational interest" ensures that access to student records is restricted to those who genuinely need it for educational purposes, thereby minimizing unnecessary exposure to sensitive information.

The other choices, while they may seem relevant, do not meet the criteria outlined by FERPA. For instance, simply being employed by the school does not automatically confer the status of a school official unless the employee has a legitimate educational interest. Likewise, government officials would not typically be considered school officials unless they have a specific role connected to educational tasks. Lastly, the involvement of parents is limited under FERPA, as student educational records are protected unless specific conditions are met, such as the student being a minor or the parents having certain rights based