For many students and educators, back to school this year means a return to extended remote learning. But teaching and learning for a longer period of time in this new environment — which is often virtual and technology-heavy — can make it harder for schools to protect student data.

School leaders and teachers, in particular, are worried about violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student education records, when holding classes online.

Consider this scenario: Some students at Clark County (Nev.) School District can’t attend classes livestreamed online. However, teachers can record their classes and post them online to ensure those students can still view them. “But I also feel like we’re walking a tightrope between how much we can record legally and how much we can provide families,” said Vicki Kreidel, a second-grade teacher at CCSD’s Heard Elementary School, in an interview with KVVU-TV.

With many schools adopting new online tools, conducting more videoconferencing calls and collecting data to monitor student progress and health, it’s even more crucial to understand and uphold FERPA. But how does the regulation apply to a virtual learning environment? And how can educators and other school employees maintain FERPA compliance, no matter where school takes place?