Is Your School FERPA and GDPR Compliant? What You Need to Know
In today’s digital classrooms, compliance with data protection laws is not optional—it’s essential. Schools handle sensitive personal information every day, from student records to teacher evaluations and online behavior data.
If your school isn’t following laws like FERPA in the U.S. or GDPR in the EU (or both, in some international or online learning contexts), you’re putting student privacy—and your institution—at risk.
Let’s break down what these laws mean and how an MSP (Managed Service Provider) can help your school meet compliance requirements efficiently.
What Is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a U.S. federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
Key Requirements:
- Schools must get written consent before disclosing personally identifiable information (PII).
- Parents and eligible students have the right to inspect and correct records.
- Schools must have security controls in place to protect digital records.
Non-compliance can result in loss of federal funding and reputational damage.
Read also: IT in Education: Building a Secure and Efficient Learning Environment
What Is GDPR?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union regulation that governs how personal data is collected, processed, and stored.
While it’s EU-based, any school offering online education or services to EU citizens must comply—even if the school is based elsewhere.
Key Requirements:
- Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous.
- Schools must be transparent about how student data is used.
- Affected individuals (students, parents, staff) have the right to access, correct, and delete their data.
- Mandatory data breach reporting within 72 hours.
Read also: Understanding Regulatory Compliance for Businesses
Why It’s Complicated for Schools
Many schools now use cloud-based systems, apps, and platforms to support learning—and with that comes more risk. It’s not always clear where data is stored, who has access, or whether third-party vendors comply with these laws.
How an MSP Can Help
Working with an experienced Managed Service Provider like Pacific IT Support can simplify compliance and reduce risk. Here’s how:
1. Data Security Best Practices
MSPs implement encryption, access controls, and secure backups that align with FERPA and GDPR standards.
2. Vendor & App Management
They assess and vet third-party vendors to ensure they meet privacy requirements before tools are deployed in the classroom.
3. User Access & Identity Management
MSPs can help implement secure sign-on (SSO), role-based access, and identity protection for students, staff, and administrators.
4. Ongoing Monitoring & Breach Detection
Real-time monitoring helps schools detect unauthorized access or data leaks early—critical for GDPR’s 72-hour breach rule.
5. Training & Awareness
MSPs like ours often provide security training to educators and staff to help prevent human error—the biggest compliance risk of all.
Read also: Outsourcing IT in 2025: A Guide for Business Owners
Bonus: Documentation & Audits
MSPs maintain logs, reports, and documentation that schools need for internal reviews or legal audits. That’s one less administrative headache for your in-house IT team.
FERPA and GDPR compliance is not just about avoiding penalties—it’s about protecting your students. With the right MSP partner, schools can confidently navigate the complex world of data privacy while focusing on what they do best: educating.
Want help evaluating your school’s current compliance level? Let’s talk. Our team specializes in education-sector IT solutions and compliance support.