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Yes — WP Statistics stores analytics inside your own WordPress database and avoids collecting student education records by default. There are no third‑party servers, no fingerprinting cookies, and no student names or email addresses collected unless you explicitly enable and configure those features.
Quick rule of thumb: If you don’t collect personally identifiable student info, you’re outside FERPA. WP Statistics helps you stay outside by default; the rest depends on how you use it.
FERPA protects any record that is:
Even visit logs can become FERPA-covered if they contain:
Here’s how WP Statistics aligns with common FERPA concerns:
| Built‑in control | Docs | FERPA benefit |
|---|---|---|
| No third‑party tracking | n/a (core design) | All analytics stay on your server—no cloud, no data leakage. |
| Does not log student names/emails | n/a (feature not present by default) | No personal identifiers unless you add them. |
| Logged-in user tracking is optional | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/how-to-track-logged-in-user-activity/ | You choose whether to log user IDs (and can anonymize them). |
| IP anonymisation / hashing | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/what-are-salts-and-hashes/ | Removes identifying info tied to student access logs. |
| Cookie-less tracking | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/counting-unique-visitors-without-cookies/ | Avoids persistent device identifiers. |
| Data export/delete per user ID | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/compliant-with-wordpress-data-export-and-erasure/ | Helps institutions meet FERPA’s access and deletion requirements. |
| Role-based admin access | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/access-control-settings/ | Limit analytics access to approved school officials. |
| Scheduled log deletion | https://wp-statistics.com/resources/optimizing-database-size-for-improved-performance/ | Keeps data retention in line with “minimum necessary” principle. |
Important: By default, WP Statistics does not track logged-in user IDs or collect PII. If you enable that setting, anonymization and access controls become critical for FERPA compliance.
WP Statistics includes an option to log the WordPress user ID with visit data. When used with student accounts, this data may become FERPA-covered.
To remain FERPA-friendly:
FERPA compliance isn’t just about tools — it’s also about procedures.
| Task | What to produce |
|---|---|
| Internal access policy | A short SOP defining who can access analytics, how often logs are purged, and how student data is anonymized. |
| Privacy policy update | Mention any use of analytics and state that no personally identifiable student data is collected without consent. |
| Data handling protocol | Use WP Statistics’ export/delete tools when students or parents request a review or removal of their data. |
| Secure hosting & updates | Host your site securely, enforce HTTPS, and keep WP Statistics and WordPress core updated regularly. |
Q 1: Does WP Statistics make my site FERPA compliant by default?
No plugin can do that alone. WP Statistics avoids tracking PII by default, but full FERPA compliance depends on how your school configures, hosts, and governs its site.
Q2: Is IP logging allowed?
Only if IP addresses are anonymized and not linked to other identifying data.
Q 4: Can we remove or export a student’s data on request?
Yes. WP Statistics includes tools to search, export, and delete visit data for a specific user ID.
Become part of our growing family of +600,000 users and get the tools you need to make smart choices for your website. Simple, powerful insights are just a click away.