What type of records are considered 'sole possession records' under FERPA?

Sole possession records are those that are kept in a counselor's personal file and are not shared with anyone else. These records are created primarily for the purpose of the individual counselor's memory or reminder and are not intended to be shared or disclosed to others. Case notes from counseling sessions fall under this category because they contain personal observations and insights regarding a student that the counselor maintains privately.

This type of record is distinguished from other educational records that are maintained and accessible by multiple parties, such as academic performance reports, attendance records, or standardized test results, which are official documents related to a student’s educational progress and are shared among staff and faculty. Sole possession records are protected from being part of the educational records that fall under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), making them unique in their confidentiality and handling.