What does the term "school official" refer to?

The term "school official" refers to individuals who have a legitimate educational interest in accessing student records. This concept is pivotal in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of educational records under FERPA. School officials typically include not only teachers but also administrators, staff, and others who need access to student information to fulfill their professional duties related to the education of students.

The phrase "legitimate educational interest" indicates that access to student records must be related to the individual's responsibilities for providing education or related services. This means that simply being a teacher, counselor, or administrative staff member does not automatically confer the status of a school official; the individual's role must justify their access to the records.

In contrast, the other options describe groups that may or may not have legitimate educational interests. Not all teachers or administrative staff automatically meet the criteria for needing access to student records, and restricting this term to only counselors would not accurately represent the broader definition as outlined by FERPA.