FERPA Compliance
Silas is designed to help educational institutions protect student data in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It applies to all schools that receive funds from applicable programs of the U.S. Department of Education.
FERPA gives parents and eligible students (those over 18 or attending postsecondary institutions) rights over their education records, including the right to access records and request corrections.
How Silas Supports FERPA Compliance
Data Protection
All student data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is strictly controlled through authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Access Controls
Role-based access ensures that only authorized personnel can access student information. Administrators can manage permissions at granular levels.
Audit Logging
Comprehensive audit logs track all access to student records, enabling institutions to demonstrate compliance and investigate any concerns.
School Official Exception
Silas can operate under the "school official" exception when properly contracted, allowing legitimate educational use of student data.
Data Processing Agreement
For educational institutions, we offer a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) that includes FERPA-specific provisions. This agreement outlines our responsibilities as a service provider and your rights as the data controller.
Key provisions include:
- Prohibition on using student data for purposes other than providing the service
- Requirements for data security and breach notification
- Data retention and deletion procedures
- Audit rights and compliance verification
Need a DPA for your institution?
Contact our compliance team to discuss your requirements.
Contact Compliance Team