What are (or are not) education records?

In the broadest sense, education records are any record maintained by the institution from which a student can be personally identified. As a result, almost all of the information the University of Minnesota maintains on students is considered a part of the education record, regardless of the format in which the data is kept. This means the education record includes, but is not limited to: grades, transcripts, WebCT information, advising information, financial aid information, student information in UM Reports and the Data Warehouse, and student photos. If you have student information in your possession, you have a legal responsibility to protect it. 

For example, the following information is not a part of the educational record: law enforcement records used solely for law enforcement purposes, aggregate data containing no personally identifiable information (or that cannot be traced back to a particular student), letters of recommendation the student has waived the right to see. This list is not exhaustive; if you have questions, get in touch with your campus contact listed at the beginning of this tutorial.