Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Compliance with SCF Connect
Use SCF Connect to map your security controls to FERPA, assess maturity, and achieve audit readiness — all from a single GRC platform built on the Secure Controls Framework.
What Is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It applies to all educational institutions that receive funding from the US Department of Education — which includes virtually every public school district and most colleges and universities. FERPA grants parents (and eligible students over 18) the right to access education records, request corrections, and control disclosure of personally identifiable information.
FERPA regulates how educational agencies and institutions handle education records, requiring written consent before disclosing personally identifiable information from those records except in specific circumstances defined by the law (directory information, legitimate educational interest, health and safety emergencies, etc.). Violations can result in loss of federal funding — the primary enforcement mechanism.
SCF Connect maps FERPA requirements to the Secure Controls Framework, enabling educational institutions and their technology vendors (Student Information Systems, Learning Management Systems, ed-tech platforms) to manage FERPA obligations alongside other compliance requirements. This is particularly valuable for organizations that also need to comply with state student privacy laws, COPPA, or cybersecurity frameworks like NIST CSF.
Who Needs FERPA Compliance?
- K-12 school districts and public schools
- Colleges, universities, and community colleges
- Ed-tech companies and Student Information System vendors
- Learning Management System (LMS) providers
- Any technology vendor processing student education records
How SCF Connect Helps with FERPA
Automatic Control Mapping
SCF Connect maps SCF controls directly to FERPA requirements. Select the framework and your required controls are identified instantly.
Maturity Assessment
Assess each control against the SCF Capability Maturity Model (SP-CMM) to understand your current posture and track improvement over time.
Evidence Collection
Generate Evidence Request Lists (ERLs) specific to your FERPA controls. Know exactly what documentation you need for your audit.
Gap Analysis
Use the SCRMS methodology to identify gaps between your compliance requirements and your actual security posture, then prioritize remediation.
Compliance Reporting
Generate detailed reports showing your FERPA compliance status, control maturity scores, and evidence collection progress.
Multi-Framework Support
Already mapped to another framework? Add FERPA and see how your existing controls satisfy additional requirements — no duplicate work.
Frequently Asked Questions About FERPA
What is FERPA?
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives parents and eligible students rights over their education records and restricts how educational institutions can disclose personally identifiable information from those records.
Who must comply with FERPA?
FERPA applies to all educational agencies and institutions that receive funding from the US Department of Education, which includes nearly all public K-12 schools and most colleges and universities. Third-party vendors that access student data on behalf of these institutions are also subject to FERPA requirements through contractual agreements.
What are the penalties for FERPA violations?
The primary enforcement mechanism is the potential loss of federal funding. The US Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office investigates complaints and can require institutions to implement corrective measures. While FERPA itself does not provide a private right of action, violations can damage institutional reputation and trigger state-level enforcement.
How does SCF Connect help with FERPA compliance?
SCF Connect maps FERPA requirements to the Secure Controls Framework. Select FERPA and the platform identifies the applicable controls, lets you assess your current posture, and generates documentation. Educational institutions can manage FERPA alongside NIST CSF, CJIS, or other frameworks in a single platform.