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Schools should be more open about student data, says Potsdam woman

Posted 2/20/14

Letter to the Editor: Parents are justifiably concerned about the security of private student data that school districts are collecting, transferring, and sharing with third-party vendors, like …

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Schools should be more open about student data, says Potsdam woman

Posted

Letter to the Editor:

Parents are justifiably concerned about the security of private student data that school districts are collecting, transferring, and sharing with third-party vendors, like inBloom, Inc.

School district officials should be conducting audits to examine how district contracts cover the sharing and reuse of private student data. Districts should also negotiate into vendor contracts the right of parents to see (and challenge the accuracy of) the information about their child that is being stored by third-party vendors.

School districts should negotiate into these contracts the district’s right to audit the vendor to ensure the vendor is complying with privacy laws, deletion requirements, and prohibited re-use provisions.

Schools should also conduct assemblies for parents, students, and faulty members to discuss privacy challenges, according to attorney Christopher Librandi.

Finally, proposed state legislation contains provisions noting that school contracts with vendors (who have private student data) should be conspicuously posted on district websites.

For more information on student privacy, go to thissideofthetable.blogspot.com.

Ann Martin Carvill

Potsdam