After a student turns 18, what educational information can parents legally access under privacy laws?

The correct response emphasizes that once a student turns 18, parents can access all educational information provided they have the student's consent. This aligns with the principles outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which grants students the right to control the disclosure of their educational records upon reaching the age of majority.

This means that, while parents retain rights to access their child's educational records while the student is under 18, those rights transfer to the student once they become an adult. The student can choose to share information with parents, allowing access to grades, academic achievements, disciplinary records, and any other educational materials, provided they give explicit consent.

The other options are more limited and do not reflect the range of access permissible under privacy laws. For instance, suggesting that parents could access only grades from the last semester or only discipline records minimizes the scope of parental access, and stating that no information can be accessed by parents overlooks the students' ability to grant consent. The law is therefore designed to balance the privacy rights of students with the involvement of parents when appropriate.