Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records. When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending college, regardless of age, FERPA rights are transferred from the parent/guardian to the student.  Students must act on their own behalf.  Parents, guardians, relatives, or friends of Palomar College students are not permitted to act on behalf of the student without written consent from the student.   (Section 99.5 of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

How to support your student’s transition into college

Dual enrollment is an opportunity for parents to encourage their students to become more independent when it comes to self-advocacy. Encourage your students to attend office hours to talk to their professor, check Palomar email daily, ask for help when needed, and to follow-up on their grades. Ask your student about the syllabus, homework, and test dates. Additionally, have your student show you MyPalomar (student portal) and Canvas (learning platform). Remind your student that college courses go at a faster paces and have more rigor; therefore, more study time is required.

How can I get more information about my student?

While parents are not able to speak to professors  about students in their class, parents are able to accompany their student in communicating with the professor in person, at the student’s discretion. Students will need to make an appointment during office hours.