Are health records maintained by schools covered under FERPA?

Health records maintained by schools are covered under FERPA when they are considered part of the educational records. This occurs when health information is linked to a student and is maintained by an educational institution in relation to their academic program, such as school health services. Under FERPA, educational records are defined broadly to include a variety of information that schools maintain about a student. Therefore, if health records are used to provide educational services or are included in a student’s cumulative file, they fall under the protections that FERPA provides, ensuring that they cannot be disclosed without the student's consent.

In contrast, health records that do not serve an educational purpose or are kept separately, perhaps in a clinic or an entirely different system, may not be governed by FERPA guidelines, although they might be protected under other laws (such as HIPAA). It's also important that these records remain confidential and secure to uphold the student's privacy rights. Thus, the connection of health information to educational records is the key factor that makes it allowable for FERPA's protections to apply in this context.