In what scenario is student permission for access to records not required?

Access to student records without requiring student permission occurs in scenarios involving legitimate educational interest. Educational institutions may share information with school officials who have a specific, legitimate reason to review student records as part of their job responsibilities, such as for academic advising, administrative decisions, or other purposes directly related to the educational environment. This provision helps ensure that those who need to access information to support a student’s education can do so without unnecessary barriers, while still adhering to privacy regulations established by FERPA.

In contrast, parental requests typically do require student consent unless the student is a dependent for tax purposes. When students reach the age of 18, they gain rights to their records, which makes student permission necessary in most cases. Emergency situations are treated differently, as while some exceptions allow for disclosure in emergencies, it's not universally applicable to all records. Therefore, legitimate educational interest is a clear and established reason for record access without explicit student permission.