November 4, 2025 • 29 mins
Your child’s school day is powered by data—grades, health records, survey answers, device activity, and the dozens of apps woven into homework and instruction. I pull back the curtain on how that data move through districts and vendors, and how a lack of basic policies turns classrooms into soft targets for misuse and cybercrime. From the NYC Illuminate incident to AI-driven tools in everyday learning, I connect the dots so parents can spot real risks and take clear action.
I talk through the expanding role of artificial intelligence, the practical gaps many districts face in staff training and encryption, and how political shifts reduce federal enforcement even when laws stay on the books. You’ll hear how state privacy laws and youth-focused bills aim to help, where they fall short for daily school operations, and why opting out of edtech can undermine personalized instruction if schools don’t plan carefully. Most importantly, I explore equity: low‑income and majority Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native communities face more ads, more trackers, and fewer disclosures—conditions that feed data brokers and deepen bias.
I frame student data privacy as a civil rights issue with real‑world consequences and share a focused action plan: seven questions to take to your principal or district leaders about app sprawl, data use, survey storage, protections against data brokers, and best practices for vendor oversight. Expect practical language, not jargon, and resources like third‑party certifications that signal stronger privacy hygiene. If you care about how technology can help your child learn without turning them into a data product, this conversation gives you the clarity and confidence to speak up.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:36):
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
If each of your children have aSocial Security number, their
privacy could be at risk.
Would you want unauthorizedvendors to have access to your
(03:21):
family income information?
You're going to want to listento this two-part series on data,
privacy, and cybersecurity inschools and the issues schools
are grappling with in theseareas.
The impact could haveimplications on your child's
privacy now and in the future.
(03:44):
This episode will be part one ofthe two-part series and it will
explore data privacy concernsfor your children.
Part two of this series willcover cybersecurity risks, their
impact on your child'seducational experience, and the
prevalence with which cyberattacks are targeting schools.
(04:10):
Not taking data privacy andcybersecurity issues as serious
concerns would be short-sightedon your part.
It's never too late to be up todate on how your children's
schools are addressing theseproblems.
I discuss weaknesses in studentdata privacy protections and the
(04:35):
implications of a lack of dataprivacy for your children.
Keep listening to the end ofthis episode where I provide
seven questions that you can askyour school principal or
district leader about how yourchild's data are protected.
Let's gain some insight on this.
(04:58):
Weaknesses in student dataprivacy protections were
amplified when COVID-19 hit fiveyears ago, and schools,
teachers, students, parents, andtechnology companies had to
quickly shift to remote learningon a large scale.
Vulnerabilities still remain.
(05:20):
In March 2022, personal data of820,000 current and former
students in the New York CitySchool District were compromised
because of a security breach atIlluminate Education, an Irvine
California-based student datavendor.
(05:41):
In this breach incident, ahacker gained access to student
names, birth dates, and data oncharacteristics such as special
education, English languagelearner, and free or reduced
price meal status.
Supposedly, the vendor did notcollect students' Social
(06:02):
Security numbers or familyincome information.
Officials with the New York CityDepartment of Education told the
local news outlets thatIlluminate Education failed to
encrypt data on classroommanagement, scheduling, and
pupil data platforms, which wasrequired by the contract between
(06:25):
the company and the schoolsystem.
There are many issues with theprotection of student data, and
many education technologycompanies or ed tech companies
have access to student data thatis not sufficiently protected.
While the district, anydistrict, can outsource the
work, the responsibility of dataprivacy is on the district.
(06:49):
Student data privacy encompassesa broad range of considerations
from students' own smartphones,the classroom applications that
are discovered and embraced byteachers, the district level
data systems, and the statetesting programs.
The responsibility of studentprivacy falls on the
(07:10):
superintendent, the curriculumoffice, professional development
trainers, the technologydepartment of the district, and
everyone in between.
In most cases, parents areinformed about what data are
being collected by privatecompanies, how the data are
being used, and how the data arebeing protected.
(07:34):
The Consortium for SchoolNetworking serves school
district technology directorsacross the country.
One area where the Consortiumfor School Networking is working
on is promoting strongerprotections of student data
privacy at the school districtlevel with its Trusted Learning
(07:54):
Environment SEAL program.
The Trusted Learning EnvironmentSEAL program requires an
extensive application processfocused on five areas of school
district practice leadership,business, data security,
professional development, andthe classroom.
(08:17):
The process is valid for twoyears and encourages best
practices.
The SEAL helps districtsuperintendents have a plan in
place, a framework that makes iteasier when teachers and staff
are accessing informationonline.
Schools face an uphill battleprotecting student data in the
(08:39):
age of AI.
Many school district technologyleaders are struggling to
establish fundamental studentdata privacy practices, mostly
due to a lack of support fromthe rest of the district.
Protecting student data hasbecome one of the most pressing
challenges for districttechnology leaders because
learning environments areincreasingly digital.
(09:03):
Districts are expanding theiruse of artificial intelligence
in teaching and learning, aswell as the management of
schools, and schools arebecoming a top target for cyber
criminals.
Some of the key challengesfacing school districts
regarding student data privacyinclude most job descriptions
(09:24):
for those responsible forimplementing student data
privacy practices don't evenmention privacy
responsibilities.
There is a lack of basic privacypolicies and student data
privacy training for school anddistrict staff members.
And barriers exist to enforcingpolicies and managing district
(09:49):
staff members' online behaviorsto better protect student data.
A recent report from theNonprofit Consortium for School
Networking highlighted thatroughly half of the school
districts in this country havepolicies that address how data
should be retained for use instudent records, encryption of
(10:09):
student data, and which districtstaff members have access to
certain student data.
Further, district technologyleaders indicated that they
lacked support from theirsuperintendents as well as other
departments, making the work ofprotecting student data across
the district much moredifficult.
(10:31):
These findings underscore thatthere's an urgent need for
stronger leadership, training,and resources to protect student
data in an increasingly digitalworld.
The weakest link when it comesto data privacy and security is
always the human.
(10:52):
District superintendents andother district leaders can put
all the data privacy tools inplace, but at a certain point,
people have to follow the rules.
The bottom line is schoolleadership needs to recognize
that encouraging a securityculture increases the district's
(11:13):
reputation and boosts trust fromparents.
More federal and statepolicymakers are focusing on
addressing data privacy,especially for children, because
of the increasing concerns abouthow companies collect and sell
user information.
Congressional lawmakers haveintroduced several data privacy
(11:35):
bills, some of which dealdirectly with children's online
privacy, and at least 15 stateshave enacted comprehensive data
privacy laws since 2020, whileother states have either now or
have laws that have at leastintroduced data privacy concerns
(11:57):
during their current legislativesession.
Some of these laws include theChildren and Teens Online
Privacy Protection Act and theKids Online Safety Act of 2023.
This latter bill, the KidsOnline Safety Act, would require
(12:18):
certain online platforms toprovide children with options to
protect their information,disable addictive features, and
opt out of personalizedrecommendations.
This would apply to online videogames, messaging applications,
or video streaming services thatconnect to the internet and that
(12:39):
are used by a minor.
The problem with some of thesepolicies, however, is that they
don't always consider theday-to-day school operations and
how they would be affected.
Schools use student data tosupport decision making, to
personalize learning, and forbetter reporting as required
(13:00):
under federal and state laws.
It's a double-edged sword, forsure.
If students and families opt outof the educational technology
that schools use for day-to-dayoperations like adaptive
learning software, then it couldundermine the teachers' ability
to facilitate personalizedassignments for their students.
(13:23):
In the president's plan toshutter the U.S.
Department of Education, didDoge put student and educator
data at risk?
There are three main concernsthat teachers and students
should be aware of.
One, the risk to educators'personal data through financial
(13:43):
aid systems that store the dataof people who have taken up
federal student loans to pay forcollege.
Two, how AI is being used toanalyze personal data to make
decisions about federalgovernment cuts.
And three, what happens to theFamily Educational Rights and
(14:07):
Privacy Act or FERPA if theEducation Department is
dismantled.
For the most part, theDepartment of Education doesn't
collect personally identifiableinformation about K-12 students,
but the data the departmentcollects and maintains to award
financial aid for highereducation are extensive.
(14:32):
Those data include the student'slegal name, Social Security
number, tax records, and otherdata which have additional legal
protections beyond the blanketfederal privacy law.
The problem with Doge accessingthese types of data is that the
more people who have access tothe data and the more times it
(14:55):
is transferred, the greater therisk of bad actors accessing the
data.
This can have serious real-worldimplications for most people
because these data are highlyvaluable to criminals who can
use the information to stealidentities, take out loans, open
(15:17):
credit cards, and apply forgovernment benefits in the
victim's claims.
And that's just a few examples.
There's a thriving market forthis kind of information on the
dark web.
As the Education Departmentcontinues to be dismantled, the
data privacy laws would stillexist, but there wouldn't be an
(15:41):
enforcement authority behindthem unless Congress gives the
authority to another federalagency.
Potentially, this is where stateprivacy laws might address how
education agencies can sharestudent data with technology
providers, for example, and theymay be able to fill in the gaps
(16:02):
of the federal data privacypolicies.
One thing is for sure, under thecurrent administration, there
will be less federal oversightof education technology
companies and how they arehandling student data.
This alone should be sufficientcause for concern for all
(16:23):
parents.
Unfortunately, this should comeas no surprise to you.
Students from the lowest incomefamilies are the most likely to
attend schools that don'tsystematically track their
education technology.
This puts these students' dataprivacy at risk.
(16:45):
The apps that these schools useare also the most likely to
contain ads targeted to thestudents who use them.
The same problems were true forschools with majority American
Indian and Alaskan Nativestudents.
Schools serving the lowestincome students are three times
(17:06):
more likely to recommend orrequire apps with behavioral ads
than schools serving studentsfrom families earning$150,000 or
more per year.
Also, schools with majorityblack student bodies were most
likely to have ads and trackerson their websites.
(17:29):
These schools have the biggestdata privacy problems with their
school websites.
Additionally, schools servingthe lowest income students were
less likely to provide studentswith the technology notice that
clearly lists all the technologyproducts that their students
(17:49):
must use.
Altogether, this adds up to apotentially worrisome level of
data collection on students fromminority and low-income
families.
You might be thinking that an adin an education app collecting
data on students may seeminnocuous, but it is the
aggregate of all the differenttechnology that students use in
(18:11):
school and in their personallives that are collecting data
and sending it to third-partydata brokers.
That's the big concern.
Data brokers compile detailedprofiles on everyone who uses
technology that they would thensell to third parties.
And you have no control over whobuys the data and how those data
(18:35):
are used.
For third-party data brokers,it's all about the money they
can make on their data.
The fact of the matter is thatschools are falling short on
vetting the apps and internetservices they require or
recommend their students use.
Not protecting students'personal information in the
(18:56):
digital space can causereal-world problems.
Strangers can clean a lot ofsensitive information about
(19:48):
students from even just theirlocation and calendar data.
Roughly 30% of schools appear tobe embedding all the apps used
by students and schools, andsystematically were less likely
to recommend or require studentsto use apps that featured ads.
It's also hard for families tofind information online about
(20:12):
the technology their childrenare required to use for school,
and it's difficult to opt out ofusing that technology.
Only about 50% of all schoolsprovided a technology notice
that clearly lists all thetechnology products students
must use, and while this may notbe required under federal or
(20:33):
most state laws, it is a bestpractice.
Overall, apps with third-partycertifications such as One Ed
Tech, Student Privacy Pledge,and the Student Data Privacy
Consortium received better dataprivacy safety ratings based on
the rubric developed by InternetSafety Labs.
(20:57):
These third-party certificationsapply to off-the-shelf
applications.
Custom-built applications thatsome districts use to
communicate with families oftenhave more privacy issues than
regular off-the-shelf apps.
The big takeaway for schools anddistrict leaders is that they
(21:18):
should be picky about what appsstudents are required or
recommended to use.
Less is more should be a guidingstar for schools.
The reality of it is thatstudent data privacy is a civil
rights issue.
If you think about all the datathat schools collect on your
(21:40):
children, it's a massive amount.
From health records to grades todisciplinary actions to
attendance.
And these are data outside ofthe apps that they are required
to use.
A recent Center for Democracyand Technology report found that
monitoring software that issupposed to keep students safe
(22:03):
and on task when they useschool-issued digital devices
had significant downsides.
The tools were more likely to beused for disciplinary purposes,
which mostly affected studentswho were black, Hispanic, or had
disabilities rather than forcounseling purposes.
(22:26):
The findings from the reportshowed that student data privacy
is a civil rights issue.
Some of the technology toolsthat schools use and the data
they collect are biased becausethey are a product of a society
with racial, social, andeconomic inequities.
(22:48):
One of the main issues withstudent data privacy is that the
laws that govern it are rarelyenforced.
Federal agencies must step upenforcement, and federal and
state policymakers should usetheir powers of influence to
provide guidance on whichtechnology tools are aligned
(23:09):
with data privacy laws.
Older students need to also bepart of the conversation about
what happens to the personalinformation that's collected
about them so that there is afeedback loop in the school
community.
So, what can you do with theinformation that I just shared
(23:31):
about data privacy protectionsfor your child?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding this topic.
I hope you're now able to seethe seriousness of data
protection and privacy issuesfor your children, especially in
the apps they use in school.
You may be thinking, what can Ido to ensure my child's data are
(23:53):
kept private?
Well, you can begin by askingthe school principal or district
leaders these types ofquestions.
One, I was looking over mychild's shoulder while they were
completing a homework assignmentand they were using ten
different apps.
Why are they using ten apps?
(24:15):
Two, how are their data beingprotected?
Three, my kids took a surveyasking about how they were
emotionally.
Where are those data going?
Four, how is my child's datagoing to be used?
Five, is the school making surethat data really are being used
(24:40):
to help my children and to notput them in a box?
What policies does the schoolhave in place for protecting my
children's data from being soldto third-party data brokers?
And seven, what best practicesdoes the school utilize to
(25:01):
protect my child's data acrossthe board, including app usage
and staff access?
Getting answers to thesequestions can at least be the
start to your understandingabout how your children's data
are being used.
Staying vigilant on this issuemay give you the peace of mind
(25:23):
that you are advocating for andkeeping your child safe,
physically and virtually.
Because privacy is safety.
(25:45):
The weakest link when it comesto data privacy and security is
always the human.
District superintendents andother district leaders can put
all the data privacy tools inplace, but at a certain point,
people have to follow the rules.
Schools face an uphill battleprotecting student data in the
(26:08):
age of AI.
Many school district technologyleaders are struggling to
establish fundamental studentdata privacy practices, mostly
due to a lack of support fromthe rest of the district.
Protecting student data hasbecome one of the most pressing
challenges for the districttechnology leaders because
(26:29):
learning environments areincreasingly digital.
As the education departmentcontinues to be dismantled, the
data privacy laws would stillexist, but there wouldn't be an
enforcement authority behindthem unless Congress gives the
authority to another federalagency.
Potentially, this is where stateprivacy laws might address how
(26:54):
education agencies can sharestudent data with technology
providers, for example, and theymay be able to fill in the gaps
of the federal data privacypolicies.
One thing is for sure, under thecurrent administration, there
will be less federal oversightof education technology
(27:15):
companies and how they arehandling student data.
This alone should be sufficientcause for concern for all
parents who have children in theK-12 public education system.
What are your thoughts aboutdata, privacy, and security of
(27:38):
your children's personalinformation?
Voice your concerns by leavingme a text comment on my podcast
website, K-12EducationInsights.buzzsprout.com.
Here's how to leave a textmessage.
Go to the episode descriptionpage and click on the Send Me a
Text Message link.
(27:59):
Again, that's K12EducationInsights.buzzsprout.com.
If you enjoyed this episode, whynot listen to another episode
from my catalog?
It could take as little as 15minutes of your day.
And remember, new episodes comeout every Tuesday.
Thanks for listening today.
(28:21):
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education
Insights, Empowering Parents ofColor Podcast.
The podcast that converges atthe intersection of educational
research and parental actions.
It's about making the trends,topics, and theories in public
(01:00):
education understandable so thatyou can implement them into
practical, actionable strategiesthat work for your children.
My name is Dr.
Kim J.
Fields, former corporatemanager, turned education
researcher, and advocate, andI'm the host of this podcast.
(01:22):
I got into this space afterdealing with some frustrating
interactions with schooleducators and administrators, as
well as experiencing themicroaggressions that I faced as
an African-American mom raisingmy two kids who were in the
public school system.
I really wanted to understandhow teachers were trained and
(01:46):
what the research provided aboutthe challenges of the public
education system.
Once I gained the informationand the insights that I needed,
I was then equipped to be ableto successfully support my
children in their educationalprogress.
This battle-tested experience iswhat I provide as action steps
(02:11):
for you to take.
It's like enjoying a bowl ofeducational research with a
sprinkling of motherwit wisdomon top.
If you're looking to find outmore about the current
information and issues ineducation that could affect you
or your children, and the actionsteps you can take to give your
(02:36):
children the advantages theyneed, then you're in the right
place.
Thanks for tuning in today.
I know that staying informedabout K-12 public education
trends and topics is importantto you, so keep listening.
Give me 30 minutes or less, andI'll provide insights on the
(03:00):
latest trends, issues, andtopics pertaining to this
constantly evolving K-12 publiceducation environment.
If each of your children have aSocial Security number, their
privacy could be at risk.
Would you want unauthorizedvendors to have access to your
(03:21):
family income information?
You're going to want to listento this two-part series on data,
privacy, and cybersecurity inschools and the issues schools
are grappling with in theseareas.
The impact could haveimplications on your child's
privacy now and in the future.
(03:44):
This episode will be part one ofthe two-part series and it will
explore data privacy concernsfor your children.
Part two of this series willcover cybersecurity risks, their
impact on your child'seducational experience, and the
prevalence with which cyberattacks are targeting schools.
(04:10):
Not taking data privacy andcybersecurity issues as serious
concerns would be short-sightedon your part.
It's never too late to be up todate on how your children's
schools are addressing theseproblems.
I discuss weaknesses in studentdata privacy protections and the
(04:35):
implications of a lack of dataprivacy for your children.
Keep listening to the end ofthis episode where I provide
seven questions that you can askyour school principal or
district leader about how yourchild's data are protected.
Let's gain some insight on this.
(04:58):
Weaknesses in student dataprivacy protections were
amplified when COVID-19 hit fiveyears ago, and schools,
teachers, students, parents, andtechnology companies had to
quickly shift to remote learningon a large scale.
Vulnerabilities still remain.
(05:20):
In March 2022, personal data of820,000 current and former
students in the New York CitySchool District were compromised
because of a security breach atIlluminate Education, an Irvine
California-based student datavendor.
(05:41):
In this breach incident, ahacker gained access to student
names, birth dates, and data oncharacteristics such as special
education, English languagelearner, and free or reduced
price meal status.
Supposedly, the vendor did notcollect students' Social
(06:02):
Security numbers or familyincome information.
Officials with the New York CityDepartment of Education told the
local news outlets thatIlluminate Education failed to
encrypt data on classroommanagement, scheduling, and
pupil data platforms, which wasrequired by the contract between
(06:25):
the company and the schoolsystem.
There are many issues with theprotection of student data, and
many education technologycompanies or ed tech companies
have access to student data thatis not sufficiently protected.
While the district, anydistrict, can outsource the
work, the responsibility of dataprivacy is on the district.
(06:49):
Student data privacy encompassesa broad range of considerations
from students' own smartphones,the classroom applications that
are discovered and embraced byteachers, the district level
data systems, and the statetesting programs.
The responsibility of studentprivacy falls on the
(07:10):
superintendent, the curriculumoffice, professional development
trainers, the technologydepartment of the district, and
everyone in between.
In most cases, parents areinformed about what data are
being collected by privatecompanies, how the data are
being used, and how the data arebeing protected.
(07:34):
The Consortium for SchoolNetworking serves school
district technology directorsacross the country.
One area where the Consortiumfor School Networking is working
on is promoting strongerprotections of student data
privacy at the school districtlevel with its Trusted Learning
(07:54):
Environment SEAL program.
The Trusted Learning EnvironmentSEAL program requires an
extensive application processfocused on five areas of school
district practice leadership,business, data security,
professional development, andthe classroom.
(08:17):
The process is valid for twoyears and encourages best
practices.
The SEAL helps districtsuperintendents have a plan in
place, a framework that makes iteasier when teachers and staff
are accessing informationonline.
Schools face an uphill battleprotecting student data in the
(08:39):
age of AI.
Many school district technologyleaders are struggling to
establish fundamental studentdata privacy practices, mostly
due to a lack of support fromthe rest of the district.
Protecting student data hasbecome one of the most pressing
challenges for districttechnology leaders because
learning environments areincreasingly digital.
(09:03):
Districts are expanding theiruse of artificial intelligence
in teaching and learning, aswell as the management of
schools, and schools arebecoming a top target for cyber
criminals.
Some of the key challengesfacing school districts
regarding student data privacyinclude most job descriptions
(09:24):
for those responsible forimplementing student data
privacy practices don't evenmention privacy
responsibilities.
There is a lack of basic privacypolicies and student data
privacy training for school anddistrict staff members.
And barriers exist to enforcingpolicies and managing district
(09:49):
staff members' online behaviorsto better protect student data.
A recent report from theNonprofit Consortium for School
Networking highlighted thatroughly half of the school
districts in this country havepolicies that address how data
should be retained for use instudent records, encryption of
(10:09):
student data, and which districtstaff members have access to
certain student data.
Further, district technologyleaders indicated that they
lacked support from theirsuperintendents as well as other
departments, making the work ofprotecting student data across
the district much moredifficult.
(10:31):
These findings underscore thatthere's an urgent need for
stronger leadership, training,and resources to protect student
data in an increasingly digitalworld.
The weakest link when it comesto data privacy and security is
always the human.
(10:52):
District superintendents andother district leaders can put
all the data privacy tools inplace, but at a certain point,
people have to follow the rules.
The bottom line is schoolleadership needs to recognize
that encouraging a securityculture increases the district's
(11:13):
reputation and boosts trust fromparents.
More federal and statepolicymakers are focusing on
addressing data privacy,especially for children, because
of the increasing concerns abouthow companies collect and sell
user information.
Congressional lawmakers haveintroduced several data privacy
(11:35):
bills, some of which dealdirectly with children's online
privacy, and at least 15 stateshave enacted comprehensive data
privacy laws since 2020, whileother states have either now or
have laws that have at leastintroduced data privacy concerns
(11:57):
during their current legislativesession.
Some of these laws include theChildren and Teens Online
Privacy Protection Act and theKids Online Safety Act of 2023.
This latter bill, the KidsOnline Safety Act, would require
(12:18):
certain online platforms toprovide children with options to
protect their information,disable addictive features, and
opt out of personalizedrecommendations.
This would apply to online videogames, messaging applications,
or video streaming services thatconnect to the internet and that
(12:39):
are used by a minor.
The problem with some of thesepolicies, however, is that they
don't always consider theday-to-day school operations and
how they would be affected.
Schools use student data tosupport decision making, to
personalize learning, and forbetter reporting as required
(13:00):
under federal and state laws.
It's a double-edged sword, forsure.
If students and families opt outof the educational technology
that schools use for day-to-dayoperations like adaptive
learning software, then it couldundermine the teachers' ability
to facilitate personalizedassignments for their students.
(13:23):
In the president's plan toshutter the U.S.
Department of Education, didDoge put student and educator
data at risk?
There are three main concernsthat teachers and students
should be aware of.
One, the risk to educators'personal data through financial
(13:43):
aid systems that store the dataof people who have taken up
federal student loans to pay forcollege.
Two, how AI is being used toanalyze personal data to make
decisions about federalgovernment cuts.
And three, what happens to theFamily Educational Rights and
(14:07):
Privacy Act or FERPA if theEducation Department is
dismantled.
For the most part, theDepartment of Education doesn't
collect personally identifiableinformation about K-12 students,
but the data the departmentcollects and maintains to award
financial aid for highereducation are extensive.
(14:32):
Those data include the student'slegal name, Social Security
number, tax records, and otherdata which have additional legal
protections beyond the blanketfederal privacy law.
The problem with Doge accessingthese types of data is that the
more people who have access tothe data and the more times it
(14:55):
is transferred, the greater therisk of bad actors accessing the
data.
This can have serious real-worldimplications for most people
because these data are highlyvaluable to criminals who can
use the information to stealidentities, take out loans, open
(15:17):
credit cards, and apply forgovernment benefits in the
victim's claims.
And that's just a few examples.
There's a thriving market forthis kind of information on the
dark web.
As the Education Departmentcontinues to be dismantled, the
data privacy laws would stillexist, but there wouldn't be an
(15:41):
enforcement authority behindthem unless Congress gives the
authority to another federalagency.
Potentially, this is where stateprivacy laws might address how
education agencies can sharestudent data with technology
providers, for example, and theymay be able to fill in the gaps
(16:02):
of the federal data privacypolicies.
One thing is for sure, under thecurrent administration, there
will be less federal oversightof education technology
companies and how they arehandling student data.
This alone should be sufficientcause for concern for all
(16:23):
parents.
Unfortunately, this should comeas no surprise to you.
Students from the lowest incomefamilies are the most likely to
attend schools that don'tsystematically track their
education technology.
This puts these students' dataprivacy at risk.
(16:45):
The apps that these schools useare also the most likely to
contain ads targeted to thestudents who use them.
The same problems were true forschools with majority American
Indian and Alaskan Nativestudents.
Schools serving the lowestincome students are three times
(17:06):
more likely to recommend orrequire apps with behavioral ads
than schools serving studentsfrom families earning$150,000 or
more per year.
Also, schools with majorityblack student bodies were most
likely to have ads and trackerson their websites.
(17:29):
These schools have the biggestdata privacy problems with their
school websites.
Additionally, schools servingthe lowest income students were
less likely to provide studentswith the technology notice that
clearly lists all the technologyproducts that their students
(17:49):
must use.
Altogether, this adds up to apotentially worrisome level of
data collection on students fromminority and low-income
families.
You might be thinking that an adin an education app collecting
data on students may seeminnocuous, but it is the
aggregate of all the differenttechnology that students use in
(18:11):
school and in their personallives that are collecting data
and sending it to third-partydata brokers.
That's the big concern.
Data brokers compile detailedprofiles on everyone who uses
technology that they would thensell to third parties.
And you have no control over whobuys the data and how those data
(18:35):
are used.
For third-party data brokers,it's all about the money they
can make on their data.
The fact of the matter is thatschools are falling short on
vetting the apps and internetservices they require or
recommend their students use.
Not protecting students'personal information in the
(18:56):
digital space can causereal-world problems.
Strangers can clean a lot ofsensitive information about
(19:48):
students from even just theirlocation and calendar data.
Roughly 30% of schools appear tobe embedding all the apps used
by students and schools, andsystematically were less likely
to recommend or require studentsto use apps that featured ads.
It's also hard for families tofind information online about
(20:12):
the technology their childrenare required to use for school,
and it's difficult to opt out ofusing that technology.
Only about 50% of all schoolsprovided a technology notice
that clearly lists all thetechnology products students
must use, and while this may notbe required under federal or
(20:33):
most state laws, it is a bestpractice.
Overall, apps with third-partycertifications such as One Ed
Tech, Student Privacy Pledge,and the Student Data Privacy
Consortium received better dataprivacy safety ratings based on
the rubric developed by InternetSafety Labs.
(20:57):
These third-party certificationsapply to off-the-shelf
applications.
Custom-built applications thatsome districts use to
communicate with families oftenhave more privacy issues than
regular off-the-shelf apps.
The big takeaway for schools anddistrict leaders is that they
(21:18):
should be picky about what appsstudents are required or
recommended to use.
Less is more should be a guidingstar for schools.
The reality of it is thatstudent data privacy is a civil
rights issue.
If you think about all the datathat schools collect on your
(21:40):
children, it's a massive amount.
From health records to grades todisciplinary actions to
attendance.
And these are data outside ofthe apps that they are required
to use.
A recent Center for Democracyand Technology report found that
monitoring software that issupposed to keep students safe
(22:03):
and on task when they useschool-issued digital devices
had significant downsides.
The tools were more likely to beused for disciplinary purposes,
which mostly affected studentswho were black, Hispanic, or had
disabilities rather than forcounseling purposes.
(22:26):
The findings from the reportshowed that student data privacy
is a civil rights issue.
Some of the technology toolsthat schools use and the data
they collect are biased becausethey are a product of a society
with racial, social, andeconomic inequities.
(22:48):
One of the main issues withstudent data privacy is that the
laws that govern it are rarelyenforced.
Federal agencies must step upenforcement, and federal and
state policymakers should usetheir powers of influence to
provide guidance on whichtechnology tools are aligned
(23:09):
with data privacy laws.
Older students need to also bepart of the conversation about
what happens to the personalinformation that's collected
about them so that there is afeedback loop in the school
community.
So, what can you do with theinformation that I just shared
(23:31):
about data privacy protectionsfor your child?
Here are the action steps youcan take regarding this topic.
I hope you're now able to seethe seriousness of data
protection and privacy issuesfor your children, especially in
the apps they use in school.
You may be thinking, what can Ido to ensure my child's data are
(23:53):
kept private?
Well, you can begin by askingthe school principal or district
leaders these types ofquestions.
One, I was looking over mychild's shoulder while they were
completing a homework assignmentand they were using ten
different apps.
Why are they using ten apps?
(24:15):
Two, how are their data beingprotected?
Three, my kids took a surveyasking about how they were
emotionally.
Where are those data going?
Four, how is my child's datagoing to be used?
Five, is the school making surethat data really are being used
(24:40):
to help my children and to notput them in a box?
What policies does the schoolhave in place for protecting my
children's data from being soldto third-party data brokers?
And seven, what best practicesdoes the school utilize to
(25:01):
protect my child's data acrossthe board, including app usage
and staff access?
Getting answers to thesequestions can at least be the
start to your understandingabout how your children's data
are being used.
Staying vigilant on this issuemay give you the peace of mind
(25:23):
that you are advocating for andkeeping your child safe,
physically and virtually.
Because privacy is safety.
(25:45):
The weakest link when it comesto data privacy and security is
always the human.
District superintendents andother district leaders can put
all the data privacy tools inplace, but at a certain point,
people have to follow the rules.
Schools face an uphill battleprotecting student data in the
(26:08):
age of AI.
Many school district technologyleaders are struggling to
establish fundamental studentdata privacy practices, mostly
due to a lack of support fromthe rest of the district.
Protecting student data hasbecome one of the most pressing
challenges for the districttechnology leaders because
(26:29):
learning environments areincreasingly digital.
As the education departmentcontinues to be dismantled, the
data privacy laws would stillexist, but there wouldn't be an
enforcement authority behindthem unless Congress gives the
authority to another federalagency.
Potentially, this is where stateprivacy laws might address how
(26:54):
education agencies can sharestudent data with technology
providers, for example, and theymay be able to fill in the gaps
of the federal data privacypolicies.
One thing is for sure, under thecurrent administration, there
will be less federal oversightof education technology
(27:15):
companies and how they arehandling student data.
This alone should be sufficientcause for concern for all
parents who have children in theK-12 public education system.
What are your thoughts aboutdata, privacy, and security of
(27:38):
your children's personalinformation?
Voice your concerns by leavingme a text comment on my podcast
website, K-12EducationInsights.buzzsprout.com.
Here's how to leave a textmessage.
Go to the episode descriptionpage and click on the Send Me a
Text Message link.
(27:59):
Again, that's K12EducationInsights.buzzsprout.com.
If you enjoyed this episode, whynot listen to another episode
from my catalog?
It could take as little as 15minutes of your day.
And remember, new episodes comeout every Tuesday.
Thanks for listening today.
(28:21):
Be sure to come back for moreinsights on K 12 educational
topics that impact you and yourchildren.
Until next time, learn somethingnew every day.
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