A student accumulates more than a decade's worth of sometimes private records before he or she graduates, including those related to academic performance, discipline, conversations with counselors, medical information, and more. Some of this information could be used for a number of crimes if it fell into the wrong hands, including identity theft, blackmail, and fraud. Federal law protects the privacy of educational records in virtually all public schools, but some state laws offer additional protections.
Alaska Laws Concerning the Privacy of School Records
Under Alaksa law, both the custodial and non-custodial parents have access to their minor children's school records. Since federal education law applies to all schools receiving federal funding, however, most violations may be reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Additional details about Alaska school records privacy laws are listed in the following table. See FindLaw's School Privacy section to learn more.
| Code Section | 25.20.130 |
| Who Has Access to School Records? | Both custodial and non-custodial parent |
| Penalty for Violation of School Record Privacy Laws | - |
| Federal Agency to Contact with Complaints | To file a complaint about school record privacy violations, contact the U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) at 1-8000-872-5327 or: FPCO Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave SW Washington, DC 20202-5920 |
Note: State laws tend to change from time to time, either through the enactment of newly signed legislation or other means. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of these pages, you also may want to contact an Alaska education law attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
FERPA: Federal School Records Privacy Law
FERPA prohibits schools from disclosing personally identifiable educational records without the parent's written permission, including files, documents, health records, or other materials pertaining to a student and maintained by the school. PPRA places certain restrictions on the participation by students in surveys, evaluations, or other potential disclosure of sensitive information.
In addition, FERPA requires schools to provide eligible students (those over 18) and parents the opportunity to review their child's school records within 45 days of the request.
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Alaska School Records Privacy Law: Related Resources
