Does FERPA limit the types of records educational institutions can maintain?

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, specifically regulates the access and privacy of student education records rather than limiting the types of records educational institutions can maintain. It allows schools to keep a wide range of records, including academic, disciplinary, financial, and health records, as long as they follow the guidelines for protecting student privacy. Schools are required to provide students and parents certain rights regarding these records, such as the right to inspect and review them, but FERPA does not dictate that particular types of records cannot be kept. This means that while institutions must be careful about who can access these records and how they are shared, they are free to maintain various types of records for educational purposes.