The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1975 primarily affects which institutions?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1975 is significant legislation that governs the privacy of student education records and grants specific rights to parents and students regarding their educational information. The act primarily applies to public educational institutions, which include schools and colleges that receive federal funding.

Public institutions are required to comply with FERPA regulations to ensure the confidentiality and security of student records. This includes the right of students and parents to access these records, the right to request corrections if they believe information is inaccurate, and the requirement to obtain written consent before disclosing personally identifiable information from education records.

In contrast, while private educational institutions may also have policies regarding privacy and student records, they are not subject to FERPA’s stipulations unless they receive federal funds or participate in federal student aid programs. Non-profit organizations and for-profit training institutes are generally not governed by FERPA in the same manner as public educational institutions, which is why the act's primary impact is on public schools and colleges.