State Education Boards Should Weigh In on Student Data Privacy, NASBE Says
State education boards are well positioned to shape and guide student data privacy policies by strengthening data protection, informing parents and others about how information is used and protected, establishing model rules and laws, and improving training to reduce data…
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security incidents, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) said in a report Monday. At least 36 state boards have some legal authority over student data privacy and states continue to consider expanding such powers, wrote NASBE Education Data and Technology Director Amelia Vance, the study's author. But those boards that haven't weighed in on privacy need to, she added. "Data privacy will be ever more important as education becomes more personalized and dependent on technology." There is significant activity in this area. In 2013, 34 states passed new laws on student data privacy while "an even larger number" have created new policies and regulations, Vance wrote. Last year, 187 bills in 48 states were introduced, up from 110 in 2014 (see 1601050064). The report outlines current and proposed state and federal bills and model legislation put forth by other stakeholders such as the American Civil Liberties Union. But many bills and policies "unintentionally restrict educational technology use and innovation," Vance said, and it's vital boards review and address such issues. She also said that it's "a matter of practicality" for schools to partner with companies with far more expertise and money to provide up-to-date security, and that schools convey that to parents who worry about companies' access and use of student information.