Every school keeps a file on every student, and most parents have never seen theirs. This article explains what is actually in that file, what the law entitles a parent or student to do about it, and why the rules are narrower and stranger than people expect. It covers the right to inspect within forty-five days, the right to seek amendment, and the hearing that follows a refusal. It explains what counts as an education record and the exclusions that surprise people, including one the Supreme Court decided about peer-graded papers. It sets out the consent rule and the long list of exceptions that swallow much of it, including the one schools rely on most. It explains directory information and the opt-out most families miss. It closes with what changes when a student turns eighteen and what the law does not give you.