What is a violation of FERPA that occurred during an IEP meeting?

• A. Sharing educational materials with the parents
• B. Discussing a student's medical condition with coaches
• C. Including all stakeholders in the meeting
• D. Documenting minutes from the meeting

Answer: (B)

A violation of FERPA, or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, occurs when a student's personally identifiable information is disclosed without proper consent. In the context of an IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting, discussing a student's medical condition with coaches constitutes a breach of privacy because it involves sharing sensitive information with individuals who are not directly involved in the education plan or who do not have a legitimate educational interest in that information.

Under FERPA, only those parties who have an educational need to know about the student's information, such as specific educators or school officials, should be privy to such details. Coaches, unless specifically involved in the educational decision-making process of the IEP or unless they have a legitimate reason to know this information, are typically not included in that group. Thus, sharing information about a student's medical condition outside of the approved educational team violates FERPA guidelines, emphasizing the importance of protecting student privacy.