Letters of Importance

The U.S Department of Education has issued this guidance letter in response to a technical assistance request from Suffolk University.  In their request, representatives from the University sought guidance on the use of the Department’s National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for research and evaluation purposes, to study student loan servicing and borrower default and delinquency of Suffolk’s students and graduates.

Institutions of higher education have a strong interest in ensuring that students have uncompromised access to the support they need, without fear that the information they share will be disclosed inappropriately. Providing on-campus access to medical services, including mental health services, can help promote a safe and healthy campus. The practice of sharing a student’s sensitive medical records with others not involved in their treatment may discourage the use of medical services provided on campus.  The U.S.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

Letter to the Louisiana State Superintendent of Education answering questions relating to protecting student privacy in public reporting.  The document addresses the U.S. Department of Education’s practices and recommendations to States on how to protect privacy when publicly reporting enrollment data. 

Letter to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Attorney General Mark Herring providing guidance and technical assistance regarding the applicability of FERPA to the potential public release of an executive summary of a report provided to the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors.

Letter to Representative Suzanne Bonamici providing clarification on the applicability of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) to college and university students’ medical records, including therapy and treatment records, held by educational institutions. 

Letter to Senator Ron Wyden providing clarification on the applicability of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) to college and university students’ medical records, including therapy and treatment records, held by educational institutions.

Letter to Kansas Board of Regents about the applicability of FERPA to redisclosures of PII from students’ education records to contractors.

Letter to Nevada Department of Education about the applicability of FERPA to providing parents with access to their children’s education records at the State level.

Letter to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill about a request for access to a certain document maintained at the University.