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.
Featured
FPF Hires New Policy Counsel – Amelia Vance
We are thrilled to welcome Amelia Vance to Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) as of November 7, 2016, as Policy Counsel. In this position, Amelia will lead FPF’s work to ensure the responsible use of student data and education technology in schools, helping educators with resources and information, and seeking inputs from all stakeholders to ensure students succeed.
Future of Privacy Forum Welcomes New Leader for Student Data Privacy Program
Washington, DC – Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) announced that Amelia Vance has joined the organization as Policy Counsel. Her portfolio includes student privacy for K-12 and Higher Education environments, and education technology initiatives. Vance leads FPF’s work to ensure the responsible use of student data and education technology in schools, helping educators with resources and information, and seeking inputs from all stakeholders to ensure students succeed.
FPF Commends New America's Report on Predictive Analytics in Higher Education
New America released a report today that addresses the use of data in higher ed analytics – predicting student outcomes and managing university academic programs based on prior data. The growing ability to gather and analyze this data allows colleges to intervene with students struggle, put in place mentoring programs, create support structures addressing “whole student” welfare, ultimately improving academic outcomes and graduation rates.
Student Privacy Pledge Loopholes? Nope. We Did Our Homework.
The Student Privacy Pledge was introduced over two years ago by the Future of Privacy Forum and the Software and Information Industry Association. It was endorsed by the White House and published at the forefront of the movement to clarify responsible practices in the collection, protection, and use of student data as the presence of technology in schools expanded. The Pledge has since been signed by more than 300 ed tech companies as a way to help demonstrate their commitment to student privacy.
Supporting Parental Choice for Student Data
Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) released, “Supporting Parental Choice for Student Data.” The paper discusses the importance of trusting parents to make the final decision on when and where to share their child’s educational information outside of the school environment.
Student Privacy Pledge Reaches Milestone of 300 Signatories
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) are pleased to announce that the Student Privacy Pledge has passed a new milestone – over 300 ed tech company signatories. The Pledge is a list of commitments that school service providers can make to affirm that K-12 student information is kept private and secure.
W&L Law Offers DC-based Cyber Law and Privacy Seminar with Future of Privacy Forum
The course, titled “Cyber Policy and Privacy Law,” will be co-taught by Professor Margaret Hu and Jules Polonetsky, CEO at FPF. The course will examine how the expanding role of the internet, big data, e-commerce, social media, and wearable technology has strained the preexisting regulatory and constitutional frameworks that have guided privacy protections under the law.
Student data privacy: Moving from fear to responsible use
Data has always been an inherent part of the educational process – a child’s age, correlated with her grade level, tracked to specific reading or math skills that align with that grade, measured by grades and tests which rank her according to her peers. Today this data is ever more critical.
Future of Privacy Forum and ConnectSafely Release Educator's Guide to Student Data Privacy
Washington, DC – Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and ConnectSafely are releasing the Educator’s Guide to Student Data Privacy. Technology tools and applications are changing the way schools and teachers educate students across the country. New resources are making it easier for teachers and students to communicate in and outside of the classroom making learning a 24/7 activity.
Privacy plays major role in new federal government guidance on transgender student rights
Recently, the Department of Justice and the state of North Carolina have filed counter-suits regarding the state’s so called “bathroom bill.” The North Carolina “Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act” requires students to use public restrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth and not with the gender with which they identify.