Education is changing. New technologies are allowing information to flow within schools and beyond, enabling new learning environments and providing new tools to improve the way teachers teach and the way students learn. Data-driven innovations are bringing advances in teaching and learning but are accompanied by concerns about how education data, particularly student-generated data, are being collected and used.
The Future of Privacy Forum believes that there are critical improvements to learning that are enabled by data and technology, and that the use of data and technology is not antithetical to protecting student privacy. In order to facilitate this balance, FPF equips and connects advocates, industry, policymakers, and practitioners with substantive practices, policies, and other solutions to address education privacy challenges at both the K-12 and higher ed levels.
For more information and resources, please visit Student Privacy Compass, a one-stop shop for information, news, and analysis on maintaining student data privacy.
New Study on “the Marketplace for Student Data”
Fordham University’s Center on Law and Information Policy (CLIP) just released the study, “Transparency and the Marketplace for Student Data,” which examines the practices of data brokers who buy and sell information about students. In the study, the authors describe existing privacy laws, map the commercial marketplace, and describe the challenges of understanding how data about students is collected and used.
Ensuring School Safety While Also Protecting Privacy: FPF Testimony Before the Federal Commission on School Safety
Amelia Vance, FPF’s Director of Education Privacy, spoke today at the Federal Commission on Student Safety’s Listening Session. She asked that any Commission recommendations include the need for privacy “guardrails” around school safety measures to ensure that student privacy and equity are protected.
Dept of Ed: Parents, Not Minor Students, Must Consent to College Admissions Pre-Test Surveys and Data Sharing
Ed Tech vendors that use student data to provide services in schools must navigate a complicated legal landscape, including intertwining state and federal laws, all of which are designed to protect student privacy.
FPF Testifies Before Congress on Promoting and Protecting Student Privacy
Washington, D.C– Today, Future of Privacy Forum’s (FPF) Amelia Vance, Director of the Education Privacy Project, will deliver testimony in a hearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, “Protecting Privacy, Promoting Data Security: Exploring How Schools and States Keep Data Safe.” In her prepared testimony, Vance will comment on how states, districts and ed tech companies can work together in ensuring student privacy.
FPF Comments on Minnesota Student Privacy Bill HF 1507
Yesterday, the Future of Privacy Forum submitted written comments to members of the Minnesota House of Representatives in response to the pending student privacy bill, the Student Data Privacy Act (HF 1507). FPF expressed concerns about the proposed language of the bill, which would create conflicting requirements for schools and education technology companies, and likely cause unintended consequences for Minnesota schools and students.
FPF Welcomes New Members to the Education Privacy Project
We are thrilled to announce four new members of FPF’s Education Privacy Project. Led by Amelia Vance, Director of Education Privacy, the Project works to equip and connect parents, educators, state and local education agencies, ed tech companies, and other stakeholders with substantive practices, policies, and other solutions to address education privacy challenges.
The Top 10 (& Federal Actions): Student Privacy News (November 2017-February 2018)
The Future of Privacy Forum tracks student privacy news very closely, and shares relevant news stories with our newsletter subscribers. Approximately every month, we post “The Top 10,” a blog with our top student privacy stories.
New US Dept of Ed Finding: Schools Cannot Require Parents or Students to Waive Their FERPA Rights Through Ed Tech Company’s Terms of Service
Policymakers, parents, and privacy advocates have long asked whether FERPA is up to the task of protecting student privacy in the 21st century. A just-released letter regarding the Agora Cyber Charter School might signal that a FERPA compliance crack-down – frequently mentioned as their next step after providing extensive guidance by the U.S. Department of Education (USED) employees at conferences throughout 2017 – has begun. The Agora letter provides crucial guidance to schools and ed tech companies about how USED interprets FERPA’s requirements regarding parental consent and ed tech products’ terms of service, and it may predict USED’s enforcement priorities going forward.
FPF Comments on the FTC and Department of Education Student Privacy and Ed Tech Workshop
On Friday, November 17th, 2017, the Future of Privacy Forum filed comments with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Education in conjunction with their upcoming workshop, to be held on December 1st. The workshop will examine the privacy issues inherent to the use of educational technology in schools, and consider the intersection of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The Top 10: Student Privacy News (October-November 2017)
The Future of Privacy Forum tracks student privacy news very closely, and shares relevant news stories with our newsletter subscribers. Approximately every month, we post “The Top 10,” a blog with our top student privacy stories.