FERPA is a federal law that protects the confidentiality of student records. Our materials provide a practical guide to the FERPA requirements at UMass Amherst and the steps that are necessary for a secure information environment. Learn more about what qualifies as confidential student information, and how to handle this information securely.

Get your Security Certificate and access your students' photos in SPIRE! Photo Rosters, a new type of class roster featuring students' UCard photos, are available to any active instructor who successfully completes the Security Quiz. Photo Rosters

The quiz is only a pre-requisite for viewing student photos in SPIRE; it is not required for regular instructor access to SPIRE, or if you have already completed the FERPA Certification.

The study guide applies the FERPA requirements to real-life scenarios that instructors are likely to encounter in the classroom. Find out what constitutes a FERPA violation and what you can do to avoid breaking the law.

Once you finish the quiz, check your email for your Security Certificate. If you are an active instructor, your SPIRE profile will be updated with access to Photo Rosters within three business days.

If you are an instructor applying for 'SPIRE for Staff' access, you need to earn your FERPA Certification (not the Security Certificate) as part of the application process.

The Academic Regulations handbook publishes the University's official guidelines for releasing student information.