The law › Title 20, Education › Chapter 31
20 U.S.C. 1232g: Family educational and privacy rights
Created in 1974 by Public Law 90-247. Changed by 11 later laws. No bill we track in this Congress changes it.
40 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 8 U.S.C. 1372, 10 U.S.C. 503, 20 U.S.C. 1015e, 20 U.S.C. 1090, 20 U.S.C. 1092.
4 parts of federal rules cite it as their authority, written by Office of the Secretary, Department of Education (3), Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor (1).
- past change
- enacted this Congress
- proposed
This Congress
No bill we track in the 119th Congress changes this section.
How it got here
2013
- Pub. L. 112–278, §2(1), added subpar. (L). Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 112–278, §2(2), inserted ", except when a parent is a party to a court proceeding involving child abuse and neglect (as defined in section 3 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 note)) or dependency matters, and the order is issued in the contex… Law text · (b)
2010
- Pub. L. 111–296, which directed that par. (1) be amended by adding subpar. (K) "at the end", was executed by adding subpar. (K) after subpar. (J), to reflect the probable intent of Congress. (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010) Law text · (b)
2002
- Pub. L. 107–110, §1062(3)(A), realigned margins. Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 107–110, §1062(3)(C), substituted "subparagraph (E)" for "clause (E)" in concluding provisions. Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 107–110, §1062(3)(B), realigned margins. Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 107–110, §1062(3)(D), realigned margins. Law text · (b)
2001
- Pub. L. 107–56 added subsec. (j). (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001) Law text · (j)
2000
- Pub. L. 106–386 added par. (7). (Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000) Law text · (b)
1998
- Pub. L. 105–244, §951(1), amended subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C) read as follows: "authorized representatives of (i) the Comptroller General of the United States, (ii) the Secretary, or (iii) State educational authorities, under the conditions set forth in… (Higher Education Amendments of 1998) Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 105–244, §951(2), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), substituted "or a nonforcible sex offense, the final results" for "the results", substituted "such crime or offense" for "such crime" in two places, and added subpars. (B) and (C). (Higher Education Amendments of 1998) Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 105–244, §952, added subsec. (i). (Higher Education Amendments of 1998) Law text · (i)
1994
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(1)(A)(ii), added subpar. (B). Former subpar. (B) redesignated (C). · (a)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(1)(A)(i), (iii), redesignated subpar. (B) as (C) and substituted "subparagraph (D)" for "subparagraph (C)" in cl. (iii). Former subpar. (C) redesignated (D). · (a)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(1)(A)(i), (iv), redesignated subpar. (C) as (D) and substituted "subparagraph (C)" for "subparagraph (B)". · (a)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(1)(B), substituted "privacy rights" for "privacy or other rights". · (a)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(1), substituted semicolon for period at end. · (a)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(A)(i), inserted before semicolon ", including the educational interests of the child for whom consent would otherwise be required". · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(2)(A), substituted "or (iii)" for "(iii) an administrative head of an education agency (as defined in section 1221e–3(c) of this title), or (iv)". · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(A)(ii), amended subpar. (E) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (E) read as follows: "State and local officials or authorities to whom such information is specifically required to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute adopted prior to Nove… · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(2)(B), substituted "the Internal Revenue Code of 1986" for "the Internal Revenue Code of 1954", which for purposes of codification was translated as "title 26" thus requiring no change in text. · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(A)(iii)–(v), added subpar. (J). · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(B)(i), which directed amendment of matter preceding subpar. (A) by substituting ", unless—" for the period, was executed by substituting a comma for the period before "unless—" to reflect the probable intent of Congress. · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(B)(ii), inserted "except as provided in paragraph (1)(J)," before "such information". · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(2)(C), substituted "or (C)" for "(C) an administrative head of an education agency or (D)" and "education programs" for "education program". · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(2)(C), inserted at end "If a third party outside the educational agency or institution permits access to information in violation of paragraph (2)(A), or fails to destroy information in violation of paragraph (1)(F), the educational agency or institution shall … · (b)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(3), substituted "Not later than 240 days after October 20, 1994, the Secretary shall adopt appropriate regulations or procedures, or identify existing regulations or procedures, which" for "The Secretary shall adopt appropriate regulations to". · (c)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(3), inserted a comma after "education". · (d)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(4), inserted "effectively" before "informs". · (e)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(4), struck out ", or an administrative head of an education agency," after "The Secretary" and substituted "enforce this section" for "enforce provisions of this section", "in accordance with" for "according to the provisions of", and "comply with this section"… · (f)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §261(h)(5), struck out "of Health, Education, and Welfare" after "the Department" and "the provisions of" after "adjudicating violations of". · (g)
- Pub. L. 103–382, §249(5), added subsec. (h). · (h)
1992
- Pub. L. 102–325 amended cl. (ii) generally. Prior to amendment, cl. (ii) read as follows: "if the personnel of a law enforcement unit do not have access to education records under subsection (b)(1) of this section, the records and documents of such law enforcement unit which … · (a)
1990
- Pub. L. 101–542 added par. (6). · (b)
1979
- Pub. L. 96–46 added par. (5). · (b)
1974
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(1)(A)–(C), (2)(A)–(C), (3), designated existing par. (1) as subpar. (A), substituted reference to educational agencies and institutions for reference to state or local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, community colleges, schools, agencies… · (a)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(4), substituted provisions making the availability of funds to educational agencies and institutions conditional on the granting of an opportunity for a hearing to parents of students who are or have been in attendance at such institution or agency to challenge… · (a)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(1)(G), (2)(F), (5), added pars. (3) to (6). · (a)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(1)(D), (2)(D), (6), (8)(A)–(C), (10)(A), in provisions preceding subpar. (A), substituted "educational agency or institution which has a policy of permitting the release of education records (or personally identifiable information contained therein other than d… · (b)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(1)(E), (2)(E), substituted "educational agency or institution which has a policy or practice of releasing, or providing access to, any personally identifiable information in education records other than directory information, or as is permitted under paragraph … · (b)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(8)(D), substituted "information is specifically authorized by Federal law, any data collected by such officials shall be protected in a manner which will not permit the personal identification of students and their parents by other than those officials, and suc… · (b)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(9), substituted provisions that each educational agency or institution maintain a record, kept with the education records of each student, indicating individuals, agencies, or organizations who obtained access to the student's record and the legitimate interest… · (b)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(1)(F), substituted "to any educational agency or institution unless such agency or institution" for "unless the recipient of such funds". · (e)
- Pub. L. 93–568, §2(a)(7), (10)(B), struck out reference to sections 1232c and 1232f of this title and inserted provisions that except for the conduct of hearings, none of the functions of the Secretary under this section shall be carried out in any of the regional offices of such Depar… · (g)
Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.