Parents & Advocates

Starting college is a time of transition for students and families. It is an exciting time, but parents and advocates may also be experiencing some concerns about their student. CAR’s goal is to empower students by building self-advocacy skills and resilience. CAR is asking parents and advocates to encourage student independence and responsibility. CAR is also here to help students as they learn the differences between K-12 and post-secondary environments.

For more information on the transition to college, please see our Transition Planning for High School Students page as well as the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights page on preparing for postsecondary education.

On this page:

• Rules governing disability services
• Confidentiality laws
• FERPA
• Additional resources for parents and advocates

Parents, students, and CAR

Students receive support for their unique needs when they work directly with their CAR advisor. These initial interactions between student and trained professional allow their CAR primary advisor to gain an understanding of the student's strengths and challenges, and assess CAR's ability to support them in facilitating a successful college experience.

CAR requests that parents and advocates do not sit in on the initial meeting between student and their CAR primary advisor. This allows the advisor to get a feel for how knowledgeable and confident the student is in sharing information about past services and what accommodations the student hopes to have at the college level.

Rules governing disability services

Confidentiality laws prohibit CAR staff from discussing students' information with anyone—including parents—without written consent. CAR recognizes the constructive role parents and advocates play in encouraging their student to apply for necessary accommodations—and then allowing the student to take on that responsibility him/herself. Choosing whether or not to obtain disability accommodations is one of the valuable experiences students will gain in college.  

Rules governing disability services are different in college than in K-12. Here at Lane Community College, the entire accommodation process must be student-initiated. The student is responsible for his or her own accommodation requests and disability-related decisions. CAR cannot honor requests from parents or advocates.

CAR encourages students to have an open dialogue with their parents/advocates. CAR suggests parents and advocates meet with their student beforehand to:

1. Assist the student in becoming a competent self-advocate.
2. Ensure the student knows his/her diagnosis and can communicate needs, strengths, interests, and challenges.
3. Allow the student to practice stating his/her needs.

Confidentiality laws

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law protecting the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

What does FERPA mean for college parents/advocates?

Generally, FERPA rules mean at the post-secondary level:

• Student academic information will be given to the student and not to the parents/advocates.
• College representatives are prohibited from discussing information about the student’s academic record with parents/advocates.
• Parents and advocates do not have access to disability-related records unless the student provides express written consent.
• The only exception is in cases where a student is considered a threat to himself or others.

College parents/advocates often feel frustrated by FERPA regulations. They feel they need access to student information. College students are working toward increased independence and responsibility; allowing them to determine who receives their academic information is a part of that growing independence. As with many aspects of the college experience, increased communication between college parents and college students often yield a smoother experience.

Resources

• ORAHEAD - Oregon Association on Higher Education and Disability
• Letter to Parents from the Office of Civil Rights
• U.S. Department of Education FAQs about FERPA
• University of Oregon Accessible Education Center
• Oregon commission for the blind
• Oregon Developmental Disability Services
• Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

To request this information in an alternate format (Braille, digital, audio, or large print), please contact Center for Accessible Resources: (541) 463-5150 (voice); 711 (relay); Building 19, 231; or AccessibleResources@lanecc.edu.