Which federal law, regulation, or standard applicable to the instructor protects the privacy of student education reports?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly known as FERPA, is the federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It grants students the right to access their educational records, seek corrections to those records, and control the disclosure of personally identifiable information. Under FERPA, educational institutions are required to maintain the confidentiality of student records and can disclose these records only with the consent of the student or under certain exceptions outlined in the law.

This law is particularly critical for instructors and educational institutions because it establishes guidelines for how student information should be handled and protected. Instructors must adhere to FERPA regulations to ensure that student privacy is maintained, promoting trust and security in the educational environment.

The other options, while important in their own rights, do not directly pertain to the privacy of student education records. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) deals with employee rights regarding medical leave; the Higher Education Act (HEA) focuses on federal funding and student aid; and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addresses accommodations for individuals with disabilities, rather than privacy of educational records. Therefore, FERPA is distinctly the most relevant and critical regulation concerning the privacy of student education reports.