{"id":8373,"date":"2026-09-28T09:14:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T09:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/?p=8373"},"modified":"2026-09-28T09:14:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T09:14:30","slug":"ferpa-compliance-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/ferpa-compliance-software\/","title":{"rendered":"FERPA Compliance Software: What Schools Should Look For"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA compliance software helps schools manage access to education records, control user permissions, document disclosures, and support student data privacy processes. The software can provide the controls schools need to manage FERPA requirements, but using a platform alone does not make an institution compliant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools evaluating these controls can also review the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/student-information-system\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 Student Information System<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to see how one platform can manage student records and academic workflows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools subject to FERPA must protect education records and follow rules governing access and disclosure. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/studentprivacy.ed.gov\/topic\/family-educational-rights-privacy-act-ferpa?page=0&amp;utm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Department of Education<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides guidance on these rights and obligations.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/studentprivacy.ed.gov\/topic\/family-educational-rights-privacy-act-ferpa?page=0&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide explains what FERPA compliance is, the FERPA compliance requirements schools should consider, what to look for in FERPA compliance software, and how to create a practical FERPA compliance checklist.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is FERPA Compliance?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is FERPA compliance? It means protecting student education records and personally identifiable information according to FERPA. Schools must control access to records and follow applicable rules for consent, disclosures, and recordkeeping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FERPA compliance requirements cover how schools give staff access to education records, disclose information, and manage third-party access. FERPA compliance software can support these processes with role-based permissions, access controls, audit trails, and disclosure tracking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Student Information System can centralize student records while giving administrators control over user access. Schools must still configure these controls correctly and follow their own FERPA requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Are the FERPA Compliance Requirements for Schools?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8378\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2-300x300.webp\" alt=\"ferpa compliance software\" width=\"745\" height=\"745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_1-1-2.webp 1254w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools must control access to education records, follow consent and disclosure rules, support student and parent rights, and maintain required disclosure records. These are the core FERPA compliance requirements to address when evaluating FERPA compliance software.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Control Access to Education Records<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staff should access only the education records they need for a legitimate educational interest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA compliance software should provide controls for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User roles and permissions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access to specific records or functions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permission changes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employee access removal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User activity tracking<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools can also review their<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/learning-management-system\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 Learning Management System<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when assessing how access controls apply across academic and learning workflows.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Manage Consent and Disclosures<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA generally requires signed and dated written consent before a school discloses personally identifiable information from an education record, unless an applicable exception applies. The consent should identify the records, purpose, and recipient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA compliance software can help staff record consent information and manage disclosure workflows. This gives administrators a consistent way to apply their FERPA requirements when handling student-data requests.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Support Student and Parent Rights<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parents and eligible students have the right to inspect and review education records and request amendments to records they believe are inaccurate or misleading.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools should be able to locate relevant information without exposing unrelated student records. Where student information connects with enrolment workflows, the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/pre-admissions-enrolment\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 admissions and enrolment management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tools can provide a relevant workflow reference.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Maintain Disclosure Records<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools generally need to maintain records of requests for access to and disclosures of personally identifiable information from education records, subject to applicable exceptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audit trails and disclosure tracking in FERPA compliance software can help administrators maintain these records and support their FERPA compliance requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Should FERPA Compliance Software Include?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right FERPA compliance software should provide practical controls for managing education records, user access, disclosures, and third-party access.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Feature<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>What schools should check<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Role-based access<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can permissions match each user&#8217;s responsibilities?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permission controls<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can administrators restrict records and system functions?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audit trails<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can authorized users review relevant activity and changes?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consent management<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can applicable consent information be recorded?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disclosure records<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can required disclosure information be maintained?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User management<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can access be changed or removed quickly?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data export<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can authorized staff retrieve records when required?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vendor controls<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the provider explain how it handles education records?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data retention<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are retention, return, and deletion practices documented?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The platform should also fit into the school&#8217;s wider technology environment. A student information system may manage enrollment, academic records, attendance, grades, and other sensitive information in one environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For schools reviewing the wider platform, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/customers\/school-management-software\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 school management software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> page explains how its SIS, LMS, CRM, finance, and other modules work together.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Should Schools Evaluate FERPA-Compliant Student Information Systems?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8377\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1-300x300.webp\" alt=\"ferpa compliance software\" width=\"713\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_2-1-1.webp 1254w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look beyond a vendor&#8217;s FERPA-compliant student information systems claim. Check access controls, data handling, workflows, and contract terms before selecting a platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Check User Permissions<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create test accounts for different staff roles. Confirm that each user can access only the records and functions required for their work. Test permission changes when employees change roles or leave.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.S. Department of Education&#8217;s Student Privacy Policy Office is reviewing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/studentprivacy.ed.gov\/lea-website-privacy-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1,504 local education agencies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over four years to assess how they communicate student privacy information, with 376 LEA websites reviewed each year.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/studentprivacy.ed.gov\/lea-website-privacy-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>Review Data Handling<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask where student data is stored, who can access it, how long it is retained, whether the school can retrieve its records, and which third parties process it. Compare the answers with school policies and contract requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Test Key Workflows<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test practical scenarios before deployment:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A teacher accesses a student record<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An administrator changes permissions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A parent requests a record<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A staff member leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An authorised disclosure is recorded<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Records are exported<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tests show whether the platform supports the school&#8217;s FERPA compliance requirements in practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Review Contract Terms<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check permitted data use, access rights, retention, deletion, and third-party processing. Add these points to the FERPA compliance checklist before signing the agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Do FERPA Regulations for Schools Require From Third-Party Providers?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA regulations for schools allow certain third-party providers to access education records without separate consent when they meet the school official exception. The provider must perform an institutional service, remain under the school&#8217;s direct control, and follow FERPA limits on using and redisclosing education records.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before giving a provider access to student data, schools should check:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Service:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Does the provider perform a service the school would otherwise perform itself?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Access:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Can the school control which records the provider can access?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Data use:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Does the contract limit use of education records to authorized purposes?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Redisclosure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Does the provider follow applicable restrictions on redisclosing records?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Subprocessors:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Does the school know which third parties may process the data?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Retention:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Does the contract define data retention and deletion?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Return:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Can the school retrieve its records when the agreement ends?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These checks help schools apply their FERPA requirements when assessing ferpa compliance software and other providers that handle education records.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Data Privacy Controls Should Schools Check?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools should check whether data privacy education software protects student information through encryption, authentication, access controls, audit logs, backups, and data retention controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Check These Privacy Controls<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The platform should provide:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encryption in transit and at rest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Role-based access<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strong authentication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Audit logging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backup and recovery<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data retention controls<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subprocessor oversight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data export and deletion<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2025 CIS MS-ISAC K\u201312 Cybersecurity Report analyzed more than 5,000 K\u201312 organizations between July 2023 and December 2024. It found that 82% of reporting K\u201312 schools experienced cyber-threat impacts, with nearly 14,000 security events and 9,300 confirmed cybersecurity incidents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These figures make security controls an important consideration when selecting data privacy education software. Schools should also check whether those controls support their FERPA compliance requirements when the platform stores or processes education records.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Can Schools Build a FERPA Compliance Checklist?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A FERPA compliance checklist should cover access, consent, disclosures, vendor controls, security, and data retention. Use it to evaluate education compliance software before deployment.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Area<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>What to check<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can the school restrict records by user role?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permissions<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can administrators change or remove access?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consent<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can applicable consent information be recorded?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Disclosures<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can required disclosure records be maintained?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vendor access<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the provider define who can access education records?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data use<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are permitted uses clearly documented?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retention<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are retention and deletion rules defined?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are authentication, encryption, backup, and recovery controls documented?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subprocessors<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does the vendor identify relevant third parties?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Export<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can authorised users retrieve records when needed?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Testing<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have key workflows been tested before deployment?<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For schools connecting compliance checks with administrative workflows,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/finance-accounting\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 Finance &amp; Accounting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is another platform area to review when assessing how financial and student data are handled.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FERPA compliance checklist should also match the school&#8217;s privacy policies and vendor agreement. A compliance claim alone does not establish that software meets the school&#8217;s FERPA requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Does Classe365 Support FERPA Compliance?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1-300x300.webp\" alt=\"ferpa compliance software\" width=\"753\" height=\"753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Image_3-1-1.webp 1254w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 753px) 100vw, 753px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 supports schools with FERPA compliance software through controls for education records, data access, retention, deletion, and third-party processing. Its<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/classe365-compliance-with-ferpa\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FERPA Compliance Statement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> outlines the platform&#8217;s commitments around education-record use, direct control, redisclosure, retention, deletion, subprocessors, and security. It also states that the educational institution remains responsible for meeting its FERPA obligations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The platform also provides a learning management system for course content, assessments, discussions, and quizzes. It also provides a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/security-statement\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security Statement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covering its infrastructure, access controls, monitoring, data access, hosting, and security practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schools should assess these features against their FERPA compliance requirements, internal policies, and vendor agreement before deployment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Ready to Review Your FERPA Compliance Requirements?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are evaluating FERPA compliance software for your school,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/request-demo\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">book a Classe365 implementation walkthrough<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to discuss your student-record, access-control, data-management, and workflow requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also review<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/pricing\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Classe365 pricing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when comparing platform requirements and available modules.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>FAQ<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>What is FERPA compliance?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is FERPA compliance? It means following the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act when a covered educational institution handles education records and personally identifiable information. The school remains responsible for establishing appropriate policies and practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What are the main FERPA requirements for schools?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main FERPA requirements cover access to education records, consent and disclosure rules, parent and eligible student rights, and required disclosure records. Specific exceptions apply to some disclosure situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Does FERPA require schools to use FERPA compliance software?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. FERPA does not require schools to use a specific technology platform. FERPA compliance software can support the controls and workflows a school uses to meet its FERPA obligations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Are FERPA-compliant student information systems automatically compliant?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. FERPA-compliant student information systems can provide controls that support compliance, but the school&#8217;s configuration, policies, staff practices, contracts, and vendor oversight also affect how the institution meets its FERPA requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Does FERPA require written consent for every disclosure?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. FERPA contains specific exceptions to its general written-consent requirement. When consent is required, it must identify the records, purpose, and recipient.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Can software vendors access student records under FERPA?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, in certain circumstances. A third-party provider may qualify under the school official exception when it meets the applicable conditions, including performing an institutional service and remaining under the school&#8217;s direct control regarding the use and maintenance of education records.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What should schools include in a FERPA compliance checklist?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A FERPA compliance checklist should cover user permissions, access controls, consent, disclosure records, audit trails, vendor access, data use, retention, deletion, exports, subprocessors, and security controls.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Is data privacy education software the same as FERPA compliance software?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No. Data privacy education software focuses on protecting student information through technical and operational controls. FERPA compliance software supports the processes and controls a school uses to manage its FERPA obligations. The two areas overlap but are not identical.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FERPA compliance software helps schools manage access to education records, control user permissions, document disclosures, and support student data privacy processes. The software can provide the controls schools need to manage FERPA requirements, but using a platform alone does not make an institution compliant. Schools evaluating these controls can also review the Classe365 Student Information [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":8375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8373"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8379,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8373\/revisions\/8379"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.classe365.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}