Ferpa|Sherpa

Despite introducing more than 400 bills on student data privacy since 2014, states have yet to address privacy protections for school surveillance or its inequitable effects. “School Surveillance: The Consequences for Equity and Privacy,” examines this important, emerging issue, identifying the benefits and potential problems posed by school surveillance. It suggests six principles to guide […]

On June 11, 2015, NASBE held a webinar about the new student data privacy laws and national trends resulting from the 2015 state legislative sessions. Rachel Anderson, Data Quality Campaign’s senior associate for policy and advocacy, and Amelia Vance, NASBE director of education data and technology, highlighted lessons learned and steps state board members and […]

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.