FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA) As referenced in a joint letter issued by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) and the United States Department of Defense (USDOD), districts are responsible for notifying parents and guardians of a provision in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This Act protects the privacy of student education records. Its primary purpose is to prevent districts from disclosing student information that may be harmful, or invading students’ privacy by placing student information in certain school publications.PDF 250 KBedit