What is the Buckley Amendment?
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) is a federal law that governs access to students’ education records. This law grants students guaranteed access to their educational records; such access includes the right to inspect and review educational records, the right to obtain copies of the records (a copying fee may be charged), and the right to challenge or supplement information on file to prevent flawed interpretation. Certain records (i.e., medical records) are not deemed to be educational records and are therefore not accessible to students. Additionally, the Buckley Amendment prohibits the disclosure of “personally identifiable information” to third parties without the prior written consent of the student. Exceptions may be made only for university officials and others with legitimate educational interests. The university may disclose “directory information” unless the student notifies the university to the contrary. Directory information is defined
