Dear FERPA Professors,
We have a former (withdrawn) student who has filed a DO NOT DISCLOSE form (at our institution, this lasts until rescinded).
Their parent wants to speak to us about their academic record. (They enrolled and withdrew every semester since 2022/FA.) The parent has provided a 1040 from 2024, showing that the student is their dependent. Does this document allow us to share info with the parent, despite the DND?
Sincerely,
Duey Dontwe
Dear Duey Dontwe,
Yes, the institution may share information from the student’s education records with the parent, despite the student’s “do not disclose” request. The “do not disclose” request applies only to the release of directory information to the general public and does not override other specific exceptions to the consent requirement under the FERPA, such as the exception for parents of dependent students.
AACRAO members, join the New FERPA Community on the AACRAO Exchange, or send your questions to the FERPA Professor at communications@aacrao.org.
Get the Addendum to the 2012 Guide, “Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Student Privacy Under FERPA: An Addendum to the AACRAO 2012 FERPA Guide,” from the AACRAO Bookstore.
Register for the new webinar series “Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Student Privacy Under FERPA – A Six-Part Webinar Series” running from August 2026 to January 2027.
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