Parents should be part of the technology planning process at schools and school districts through appropriate committees and consultation. In addition, there are a number of legal and procedure tools that give parents and students rights to their information.
As technology expands in the classroom, it is also important that parents and students know how student data is used — and what schools and their partners have pledged to do with it.
We live in an increasingly connected world where information flows between us and the organizations and companies we deal with every day. Historically that information was stored in filing cabinets but, today, most of it is stored on computers—sometimes accessible via the Internet.
Schools have always held a wide range of data about our children and families: Name, address, names of parents or guardians, date of birth, grades, attendance, disciplinary records, eligibility for lunch programs, special needs and the like are all necessary for basic administration and instruction. Teachers and school officials use this information for lots of reasons, including to assess how well students at a school are progressing, how effective teachers are at teaching, and how well your school performs compared to other schools. State departments of education collect data that is then aggregated (summarized) to help guide policy decisions and plan budgets.
Schools are also increasingly storing electronic data associated with “connected learning,” where online resources are used for instruction and evaluation. Online tools give students access to vast libraries of resources and allow them to collaborate with classmates or even peers around the world. Some of these online tools also give teachers and parents the ability to access and evaluate student work.
Schools have always held a wide range of data about our children and families: Name, address, names of parents or guardians, date of birth, grades, attendance, disciplinary records, eligibility for lunch programs, special needs and the like are all necessary for basic administration and instruction. Teachers and school officials use this information for lots of reasons, including to assess how well students at a school are progressing, how effective teachers are at teaching, and how well your school performs compared to other schools. State departments of education collect data that is then aggregated (summarized) to help guide policy decisions and plan budgets.
Data Can Help Every Student Excel (Data Quality Campaign)
Schools are also increasingly storing electronic data associated with “connected learning,” where online resources are used for instruction and evaluation. Online tools give students access to vast libraries of resources and allow them to collaborate with classmates or even peers around the world. Some of these online tools also give teachers and parents the ability to access and evaluate student work.
Schools should be able to tell parents how they collect, use, and protect student data. To learn more about how data can be used to help students, check out the below resources.
Who Uses Student Data? (Data Quality Campaign)
Want to learn more? See below!
What Parents Need to Know About Their Children’s School Data (U.S. Department of Education PTAC)
| Type of Use | Examples |
|---|---|
| Administrative | Student registration, Course scheduling, Guidance counseling, Attendance, School lunch programs, Busing services |
| Instructional | Homework assignments, Learning apps, Working collaboratively online, Engaging with teachers and classmates, Tailored course curricula, Support services, and Instructional tools |
| Assessment and Measurement | Measuring the quality of education, Standardized tests, Course assessments, Reshaping Classroom materials, Measuring effectiveness of student learning |
| Optional and Non-Educational | School yearbooks, Class photos, PTA fundraising, School paraphernalia |
Do you want more information about student privacy? Here are some questions to ask your child's teacher or school to see if they are adequately protecting student privacy.
There are a number of important laws that touch upon privacy in the classroom. These laws give parents and students a number of important rights. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the main federal law that governs student privacy, and the U.S. Department of Education has provided general FERPA guidance for parents.
Children use various educational programs and e-games for both learning and fun. There are other rules that apply to children who access educational or non-educational web programs through personal computers, and through mobile apps on tablets and smartphones. Parents should be aware that data that is collected about their student, that is not a part of their educational record at school does not fall under the protection of FERPA.
There are many great resources for parents seeking to learn more about student privacy. Some of our favorite resources are listed below, but you can access all the resources we have found for parents by clicking the “Resources” tab above and selecting “Parents” in the “Resources for…” drop-down menu.