Disclosure in this context means allowing someone to access or receive personally identifiable information, usually from records such as education or medical files.

What “disclosure” means

  • “Disclosure” is defined in U.S. privacy and education law as permitting access to, or the release, transfer, or other communication of personally identifiable information (PII).
  • It can happen in any form: oral, written, electronic, or by allowing someone to view a record, even without giving them a copy.

Key phrase from your title

The phrase “disclosure means to permit access to, or the release, transfer or other communication” is completed in FERPA guidance as referring specifically to personally identifiable information (PII) contained in education records.

In many training and quiz contexts (like the example you’re echoing), the correct completion of that sentence is “personally identifiable information.”

Where this definition is used

  • FERPA (the U.S. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) uses this wording to describe when student information is shared with any party.
  • Educational institutions use this definition in staff training modules and quizzes to test understanding of confidentiality and proper handling of student data.

Quick Scoop recap

  • “Disclosure” = letting someone have access to or receive PII from records, by any means.
  • In the multiple‑choice style question that uses your exact wording, the intended correct option is “personally identifiable information.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.