Ferpa|Sherpa

Student privacy was a hot topic in state legislatures again in 2016, with over 110 bills introduced in 34 states. An additional 72 bills were carried over from the 2015 legislative session. Many of these bills are similar to past legislation, but new models are beginning to emerge. On May 26, 2016, from 3:00 to […]

Over 400 data privacy bills have been introduced in 49 states in the past two years, with over 37 states passing at least one new law. Many of these laws require that state and local education agencies be transparent about their student data and privacy practices, but few states have figured out the best way […]

Digital devices and applications offer the best way for savvy teachers to gauge student learning and adjust instruction.

The state navigates through stormy legislative sessions to arrive at a sound framework for managing its education data.

This article analyzes the opportunities and risks of data driven education technologies (ed tech). It discusses the deployment of data technologies by education institutions to enhance student performance, evaluate teachers, improve education techniques, customize programs, devise financial assistance plans, and better leverage scarce resources to assess and optimize education results. Critics fear ed tech could […]

“Student Data: Trust, Transparency and the Role of Consent” discusses how over the past decade, new technologies in schools have generated an “explosion of data” for public school systems to use and analyze. Accordingly, the Department of Education has identified the use of student data systems to improve education as a top national priority even […]

“Who Is Reading Whom Now: Privacy in Education from Books to MOOCs” discusses how education technologies, while presenting tremendous opportunities to make education more personalized, accountable, collaborative and engaging through social media, gamification and interactive content, also engender privacy concerns arising from the combination of enhanced data collection with highly sensitive information about children and […]

FPF’s 2015 parent survey investigates prevailing attitudes towards the emerging use of technology and data in education and children’s deepening online presence. The survey report ends with series of recommendations to both ed tech developers and schools.

“A Parent’s Guide to Student Data Privacy Rights”, developed and published by the Future of Privacy Forum in partnership with the National PTA and ConnectSafely.org, is a valuable tool for parents seeking answers and guidance related to major federal laws on education privacy, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the […]

This paper provides an overview of the different tools used to de-identify data to various degrees, based on the type of information involved, and the determined risk of unintended disclosure of individual identity. Proper data de-identification requires technical knowledge and expertise as well as knowledge of, and adherence to, industry best practice.