Which describes confidentiality and retention of Title IX records?

• A. Records should be published in a public forum.
• B. Records may be destroyed immediately after the investigation.
• C. Title IX records should be kept confidential and retained according to FERPA and school policies.
• D. Only the complainant's records are kept.

Answer: (C)

Confidential handling and retention of Title IX records means keeping investigation information private and sharing it only with people who need to know, while storing the files securely for a defined period in line with FERPA and the school’s records-retention policies. This protects the privacy rights of all parties and supports the integrity of the process. Records aren’t public, and they aren’t destroyed as soon as an investigation ends, because there are legal and policy timelines that govern how long they must be kept and when they can be released or purged. FERPA governs who may access education records and how they’re protected, while the school’s policies tailor those requirements to the local context. It’s also incorrect to say only the complainant’s records are kept, since Title IX records generally involve information about the investigation as a whole and must be handled under the established retention schedule.