FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. It’s a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It limits who can access your records, what can be shared, and how your information can be used.

At Woodland Community College, we follow FERPA closely. That means we do not share your education records with anyone—including your parents—without your written permission, regardless of your age.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review your education record within a reasonable time after the Yuba Community College District receives a request for access. If you want to review your record, contact the College office that maintains the record or the District Registrar to make appropriate arrangements.
2. The right to request the amendment of your education record if you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. If you feel there is an error in your record, you should submit a statement to the College official that maintains the record or the District Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record you want changed and why you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. That office will notify you of their decision and advise you regarding appropriate steps if you do not agree with the decision.
3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in your educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with “legitimate educational interests.” A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official has a “need to know” information from your education in order to fulfill his or her official responsibilities. Examples of people who may have access, depending on their official duties, and only within the context of the duties, include: College and District faculty and staff, agents of the institution, students employed by the institution or who serve on official institutional committees, and representatives of agencies under contract with the College and District.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College or District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Release of student record information is generally not done at the Yuba Community College District without the expressed, written consent of the student. There are, however, some exceptions.