Final answer:
Student health records in schools are protected by FERPA instead of HIPAA, which applies to educational institutions receiving federal funds and serves to safeguard the privacy of student education records.
Step-by-step explanation:
While schools and school districts do maintain student health records, these records are most commonly protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), not the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, and applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. HIPAA, on the other hand, mainly applies to healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. FERPA's protection of health records typically associated with educational institutions ensures that there is clarity on which entity is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of a student's health information.