Under FERPA, a school would need to obtain the grandmother's permission to release Francisco's educational records in all but which of the following situations?

• A. Francisco is transferring to another school and the new school needs his records
• B. Francisco's mother calls the school to ask how Francisco is doing
• C. The school newspaper is listing honors students, and wants to find out if Francisco qualifies
• D. Permission would need to be obtained in all of these situations

Answer: (A)

Under FERPA, education records are protected, but there are important exceptions to consent. One key exception is that schools may disclose records to another school where the student intends to enroll without obtaining parental or guardian consent. This helps the student transfer smoothly by sending the needed records directly to the new institution.

Releasing information to a parent (such as the mother) or to a third party (like a newspaper) typically requires consent from the parent or eligible student, unless the information is directory information and the family has not opted out. In the scenario given, the only situation that does not require the grandmother’s permission is sending the records to the new school the student plans to enroll. The other situations involve sharing with non-designated third parties or with someone other than the student’s parent, which would usually require consent.