The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education, such as federal financial aid for students.

As a parent, you may want access to your student's grades, financial records, academic records and other records. Wake Tech recognizes how important parents and other family members are to the success of our students, but the college is limited by FERPA regarding the information we can share.

When a student age 18 or older attends an institution of higher education such as Wake Tech, all rights to inspect and review the education record transfer from the parent to the student under FERPA. A student's educational records are confidential and will be shared by the college only with Wake Tech administrators or lending agencies that have a legitimate need to know this information.

With a student's permission, the college can share the student's records (academic records, account/billing information and/or financial aid records) with the student's parent(s), spouse and/or other individuals the student designates. This privacy release remains in effect, unless revoked by the student, for the duration of the student's enrollment at Wake Tech.

For students younger than 18, North Carolina law requires that Wake Tech provide access to their educational records to their parent or legal guardian, without the student's consent, if the student is claimed as a dependent on their federal tax return. State law also requires records to be shared with administrators and counselors of any K-12 school where the student is dually enrolled.

General questions or concerns may be directed to Senior Dean and Curriculum Registrar Holly Swart at 919-866-5933 or [email protected].