This resource aims to provide parents of K-12 students information to help understand what it means when your school has a data breach, as well as provide tools and best practices to help navigate the sometimes confusing process of protecting your children's data in the event of a breach.

The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) at the U.S. Department of Education is performing a four-year review of a sample of the websites of 1,504 local education agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information about student privacy. In each year of the study, SPPO is reviewing a nationally representative sample of…

The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) is performing a four-year review of a sample of the websites of 1,504 local education agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information about student privacy. In each year of the study, SPPO is reviewing a nationally representative sample of 376 LEA websites, focusing on whether…

The U.S. Department of Education's (Department's or ED's) Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) are conducting a four-year review of the websites of 1,504 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information on student privacy. The review is part of ED's…

School officials routinely seek to balance the interests of safety and privacy for students. While the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally requires written parent or "eligible student" consent before an educational agency (district) or institution (school) discloses student education records and the personally…

The administration of college admissions examinations by SEAs [state education agencies] and LEAs [local education agencies] raises potential legal issues under FERPA [Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974], IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], PPRA [Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment], and state privacy laws, and…

Educational authorities and policymakers are increasingly focused on protecting student privacy while using data to inform program and policy decisions. Data from more than one government agency is often analyzed to more holistically inform these decisions. This has led to the development of integrated data systems (IDSs) that allow linkage of…

The Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) has received an increasing number of questions from postsecondary educational institutions (institutions) on the conditions under which federal student financial aid information may be used for program evaluation and research purposes. Numerous federal laws govern access to, disclosure of, and use of…

In February 2014, the Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) issued guidance titled "Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services: Requirements and Best Practices." This Model Terms of Service document is intended to further assist schools and school districts in implementing that guidance. In a traditional…

Today's classrooms increasingly employ on-demand delivery of personalized content, virtual forums for interacting with other students and teachers, and a wealth of other interactive technologies that help foster and enhance the learning process. Online forums help teachers share lesson plans; social media help students collaborate across…

Educational agencies and institutions increasingly collect and maintain large amounts of data about students in order to provide educational services. Some data, like students' transcript information, may need to be preserved indefinitely. Other student information will need to be preserved for a prescribed period of time to comply with legal or…