By Joseph Pangaro CSO
As the world continues to evolve into the digital realm our schools and companies are being tasked with securing private data. The hacks and breaches we see every day on the news make it clear that our personal information is valuable and people will steal it.
It is our responsibility to ensure that our staff members we task with keeping this data secure know what to do and ow to do it using the best practices and most appropriate technology. Data privacy issues along with cyber security are in the forefront of our concerns. This article is designed to help you get a better understanding of how to secure this information and train our people.
A recent report by CoSN (Consortium for School Networking) highlights a growing concern in K–12 education: while nearly 90% of edtech leaders are responsible for student data privacy, only a small fraction are formally trained or have job descriptions that reflect this critical responsibility. With increasing cyberattacks and data breaches targeting school systems, this lack of formal structure is alarming.
The challenges—ranging from undertrained staff and fragmented policies to the unchecked use of free educational tools—require immediate and focused action. Below are strategic and actionable recommendations that school districts can implement to better protect student data and empower staff.
- Formalize Roles and Responsibilities
Challenge: In many districts, privacy management is treated as a secondary task assigned to IT personnel or administrators.
Solution: Create dedicated roles such as a Data Protection Officer (DPO) or Privacy Compliance Coordinator. This person should have authority and resources to oversee compliance, vendor agreements, and internal audits.
Example: In Fairfax County Public Schools, a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) role was created to align cybersecurity and privacy protocols across all departments.
- Require Specialized Training and Certifications
Challenge: 17% of school staff responsible for privacy have received no training.
Solution: Provide formal training pathways. Staff should be encouraged—or required—to take courses that build core competencies in data protection and cybersecurity.
Recommended Courses:
- CoSN’s CETL (Certified Education Technology Leader) program
- FERPA 101 from the U.S. Department of Education’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
- Cybersecurity for Educators – Coursera or EdX-based self-paced courses
- CompTIA Security+ – A foundational IT security certification
Hold annual refreshers and simulate breach response scenarios to maintain readiness.
- Adopt the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Framework
Challenge: Inconsistent district policies lead to fragmented privacy practices.
Solution: Leverage CoSN’s TLE Seal Program, which outlines five critical practices: leadership, business operations, data security, professional development, and classroom practices.
Implementation Tip: Form a data governance team that performs a baseline privacy audit using the TLE assessment tools and creates a 12-month improvement roadmap.
- Control the Use of Educational Technology Tools
Challenge: Free tools, especially apps, are often used without a vetting process.
Solution: Develop a district-approved tech tool list. Any new app must undergo a privacy and security review before classroom use.
Example: Montgomery County Public Schools (MD) uses an internal “App Approval Workflow” integrated with LearnPlatform, which streamlines privacy evaluation and tracks usage analytics.
- Build a Security-Conscious Culture
Challenge: Teachers and staff often lack situational awareness about data risks.
Solution: Embed privacy into daily operations with ongoing awareness campaigns. Use posters, phishing simulations, and monthly newsletters to keep data security top of mind.
Examples of activities:
- Run “Data Privacy Week” with themed events
- Launch a “Think Before You Click” campaign to prevent phishing
- Create a “Privacy Ambassador” program where staff members become champions for change in their departments
- Improve Communication and Transparency
Challenge: Parents and students often don’t know how their data is used or protected.
Solution: Publish a Student Data Privacy Pledge on your district website. Host webinars or town hall meetings to explain your policies, and offer families the chance to opt out of certain data-sharing practices.
Helpful Tool: Common Sense Media’s Privacy Program Evaluation toolkit can help you assess how well your school communicates privacy practices.
Conclusion
Protecting student data privacy is not simply a compliance obligation—it’s a core responsibility of any educational institution committed to student safety and well-being. By investing in training, establishing clear roles, adopting best-practice frameworks, and engaging the entire school community, districts can bridge the gap between good intentions and strong, effective privacy protections.
Now is the time to move from awareness to action—because when it comes to safeguarding student data, there’s no room for uncertainty.
If you have questions or need training contact me: JPangaro@IntegraServices.com