The Secretary of Education
(Secretary) amends the regulations
implementing section 444 of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA),
which is commonly referred to as the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA). These amendments are
needed to ensure that the U.S.
Department of Education (Department
or we) continues to implement FERPA
in a way that protects the privacy of
education records while allowing for the
effective use of data. Improved access to
data will facilitate States’ ability to
evaluate education programs, to ensure
limited resources are invested
effectively, to build upon what works
and discard what does not, to increase
accountability and transparency, and to
contribute to a culture of innovation and
continuous improvement in education.