HOURLY FERPA CLERK

Hourly Ferpa Clerk

Human Resources announces an opening for an Hourly FERPA Clerk. The FERPA Clerk, under the direction of the Chief of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Student Support, the Executive Director of Student Services, or designee, is responsible for ensuring the absolute confidentiality, security, and integrity of student educational records in strict compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and institutional policies. This role serves as a primary point of contact for processing student record requests, verifying authorizations, and educating staff, students, and parents on privacy rights. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional attention to detail, strong administrative skills, and a commitment to data privacy.

Key Responsibilities

• Record Request Processing: Receive, log, and process requests for student educational records from eligible students, parents/guardians, and authorized third parties.
• Compliance Verification: Meticulously review written consent forms, subpoenas, and legal requests to ensure they meet FERPA guidelines before releasing any student information.
• Data Redaction & Maintenance: Mask or redact personally identifiable information (PII) from records when cross-sharing data to ensure only the authorized information is disclosed.
• Customer Service & Guidance: Answer inquiries via phone, email, and in-person regarding record policies. Explain FERPA restrictions to eligible students, parents/guardians or third parties when information cannot be legally shared.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Educational & Experience Requirements
• Education: Associate's degree or higher.
• Experience: 13 years of experience in an administrative support role, preferably within a school registrar's office, admissions office, legal environment, or records management sector.
• Essential Skills & Knowledge
• Regulatory Knowledge: Foundational understanding of FERPA guidelines (or a strong aptitude to learn and apply federal privacy regulations quickly).
• Technical Proficiency: Experience using Student Information Systems (SIS) (e.g., Synergy, Canvas) and document management software. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel) and Google Tools is required. Ability to quickly learn records management software.
• Attention to Detail: Exceptional accuracy in data entry and the ability to spot discrepancies or unauthorized requests in high-volume environments.
• Discretion & Ethics: A high level of integrity and the ability to handle sensitive, personal, and confidential student data ethically.
• Communication: Clear, tactful, and professional verbal and written communication skills, especially when handling difficult conversations regarding denied data requests.

Hourly Rate based on 26/27 Pay Plan

Arlington Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Arlington School Board, as stated in Policy G-2.30, Employee Relations Equal Employment Opportunity - that "Employment opportunities shall not be restricted, abridged or otherwise adversely affected on the basis of race, national origin, creed, color, religion, gender, age, economic status, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, and/or disability."