In the context of FERPA, what age threshold is significant for college officials notifying parents?

The correct answer is based on the stipulations within the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regarding students' rights in educational settings. According to FERPA, once a student reaches the age of 18 or attends a postsecondary institution, they are considered an "eligible student." This means that they hold the rights to their education records, and educational institutions do not have the obligation to notify parents about the student's academic information unless specific conditions apply.

In the context of notifying parents, postsecondary institutions typically will treat students aged 18 and over as independent and will not routinely contact parents for matters related to their education records. Therefore, the age of 18 is significant in determining when parents no longer automatically receive notifications. While the other ages listed may have implications in different contexts, such as legal adulthood or specific responsibilities, FERPA’s key threshold for parental notification rights hinges on that 18-year mark.