Under IDEA and FERPA, what are parents allowed to inspect upon request?

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents have the right to access specific educational records concerning their child. This includes the child’s test answers on an individually administered test protocol. This right is based on the principle of transparency and the need for parents to be actively involved in their child's educational journey.

Parents can request to inspect their child's educational records to understand their child's progress and needs, particularly in contexts that affect their child’s education, such as standardized testing and assessments. This access enables parents to advocate effectively for their child's educational services and accommodations. Accessing test answers can also help parents to understand how their child is performing academically and inform discussions with educators about support and intervention.

The other options, while they pertain to school operations, do not fall under the specific rights granted to parents for inspecting their child's educational records. School budgets, faculty evaluations, and general school policies do not directly relate to the individual educational experience of their child in the same way that personal test answers do. Thus, the focus of IDEA and FERPA is specifically on the individual educational records of the child, making the correct choice about parents inspecting their child's test answers the most relevant.