Question

A researcher is conducting a study of students with special needs in a local school. The study requires the analysis of identifiable student performance data from the past five years. The study results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences and could potentially help thousands of young students. Which of the follow is true?

FERPA allows the school to make an exception for any students over 13 years of age
The researcher is eligible for a waiver of parental consent given the importance of the study to the field of education
The researcher is not eligible for a FERPA waiver because the data are too recent
FERPA prevents the school from providing the data because the researcher does not have prior consent of the parents

Answer 1

FERPA prevents the school from providing the data because the researcher does not have prior consent of the parents

Step-by-step explanation:

Consent is an integral part of all types of research because it is a matter of the person's privacy. Subjects have all the right to refuse from being a part of the research for any reason and researcher has to respect their decision. Otherwise, it will be considered unethical. When it comes to children, it is important to have prior consent of the parents as children themselves are usually unaware of what is happening around, especially, the children with special needs.