If you've called the university with questions about your student's academic progress, financial aid packages, or other general information, you may have heard a staff member refer to FERPA. It's the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, FERPA for short, and also called the Buckley Amendment. It affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records, and in order for you to gain access to those records, your student must give their written consent.

It's important for parents and family to know that not all student records fall under FERPA. Medical records, law enforcement records, sole possession records, and employment records are a few of the things not protected by FERPA. But, things like grades, test scores, financial records, class schedules, and disciplinary records do fall under FERPA and cannot be accessed by parents without specific written consent by your student.

More detailed information can be found here