Parent Access to Midterm Grades

Some parents have contacted the Parent Programs office to ask why they have not received a copy of their student’s midterm grades.  The answer to that question is directly tied to your student’s FERPA form status.  The Parents’ Page Q&A answers this and many other questions related to University life, but we wanted to post it here as a refresher.

What is FERPA and how does it affect parent access to grades?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) as amended is a federal law which is designed to protect the privacy of and limit access to the educational records of students. This means that institutions generally must withhold such information from parents and others who believe their relationship with the student entitles them to have the information.  Wake Forest is able to release information if we have on file a signed FERPA release form.  If the student has not signed a FERPA release form, the University generally cannot release the information unless it has proof of the student’s status as a dependent under the Internal Revenue Code for the period covered. FERPA forms must be turned in to the Registrar’s Office.

If my student has signed the FERPA form, how am I notified of grades?
If the student signs FERPA, both mid-term and final grades are mailed via US mail either home or to the address the student provided on their form.  In addition, students have the ability to look up their grades in WIN (the Wake Forest Information Network), so they can tell you as soon as they log in. There is no online mechanism for parents to access student grades (unless your student chooses to share his WIN login ID and password with you).