Parents & Guardians: FERPA Guidelines

Parents & Guardians: FERPA Guidelines

Thank you for supporting your student’s education! We appreciate the important role parents and guardians play in their academic journey. However, since your student is taking a college-level course, their records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), even if they are under 18. This means we cannot share details like grades, progress, or attendance unless the student has given written permission through their credit-granting university.

We encourage you to talk directly with your student about their coursework. Our team is always happy to help them!

FERPA Communication Rules

  • Students must contact us using the student email address associated with their Canvas account.

  • Phone calls must be followed up with a verified email for identity confirmation.

  • High school dual credit partners can receive limited updates.

  • Parents/guardians not listed on the FERPA release cannot receive academic updates.

Student Responsibilities

  • Students are responsible for managing their own communication about assignments, grades, and course progress.

  • They should use the student email linked to their Canvas account when reaching out for support.

  • If they have questions about course content or assignment rubrics, they are encouraged to message their instructor through the Canvas Inbox, located on the main dashboard.

What Parents and Guardians Cannot Do

Even with a FERPA waiver:

  • You may not submit assignments, ask for grade changes, or contact instructors for your student.

  • A FERPA release only allows information to be shared, it does not give permission for parents or guardians to take academic action.

  • All academic communication must come directly from the student.

What You Can Do

  • Talk with your student about their coursework.

  • Encourage your student to reach out to TEL Support Team using their verified student email.

  • If a FERPA release is on file with the university, contact the credit-granting university (not TEL) for transcripts or academic records.

Need More Info?

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