What is one of the main focuses of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) primarily focuses on the protection of students' educational records. This federal law grants students certain rights regarding their personal information held by educational institutions, including the right to access their records, the right to request amendments to their records, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information. The intent of FERPA is to safeguard students' privacy and ensure that their educational records are kept confidential, except under specific, permitted circumstances.

While the other options touch on important aspects of educational policy and administration, they do not align with the core purpose of FERPA. For instance, financial aid eligibility refers to the ability of students to receive financial support for their education but is not directly tied to the privacy of educational records. Student assessment transparency relates to how assessment methods and results are communicated, which is also separate from record protection. Curriculum development involves the design and implementation of educational programs, which does not focus on the confidentiality of student data. Thus, the emphasis of FERPA is distinctly on safeguarding educational records, making this the correct choice.