U.S. Education Department Announces New Measures to Safeguard Student Privacy

The U.S. Department of Education announced new regulations to safeguard student privacy while giving states the flexibility to share school data that can be helpful in judging the effectiveness of government investments in education.

"Data are a powerful tool needed to improve the state of education in this country," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "At the same time, the benefits of using student data must always be balanced with the need to protect students' privacy rights and ensure their information is protected."

The regulations will strengthen the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by protecting the safety of student information, increasing the Department's ability to hold those who misuse or abuse student data accountable and ensuring our taxpayer funds are invested wisely and effectively.

In the past, uncertainty about where state sunshine laws left off and where FERPA picked up created confusion for institutions about when and with whom student information could and should be shared. Schools need the flexibility to pursue routine uses of information without getting prior consent while allowing them to prevent those who may misuse or abuse student information from accessing it. The regulations announced today allow schools to do just that.

The new regulations will also help the Department of Education more effectively hold those who misuse or abuse student information accountable for violating FERPA. When FERPA was first conceived in the 1970s, it only applied to institutions with students in attendance—like high schools and colleges. Since then, a growing number of institutions and entities without students in attendance—like student lenders for example—have access to student records that should be protected by FERPA, but aren't. The announcement fixes that gap in student protection.

The changes will also help policymakers determine if state and federally funded education programs are adequately preparing children for success in the next stage of life, whether that is in kindergarten or the workforce. States will be able to determine which early childhood programs prepare kids for kindergarten. High school administrators will now be able to tell how their graduates did in college. And states will be able to enter into research agreements on behalf of their districts to determine how best to use limited education funding during tough economic times.

The announcement comes on the heels of several efforts undertaken by the Obama Administration to ensure that private student data is protected. These include the appointment of Kathleen Styles as the Department's Chief Privacy Officer, the establishment of a Privacy Technical Assistance Center, and the publication of guidance documents on best practices for protecting confidential information about students.

The full regulation may be found at: www.federalregister.gov.

Featured

  • Live From ISC West: Day 2 Recap

    If it’s even possible, Day 2 of ISC West in Las Vegas, Nevada, was even busier than the first. Remember to keep tabs on our Live From ISC West page for news and updates from the show floor at the Venetian, because there’s more news coming out than anyone could be expected to keep track of. Our Live From sponsors—NAPCO Security, Alibi Security, Vistacom, RGB Spectrum, and DoorKing—kept the momentum from Day 1 going with packed booths, happy hours, giveaways, product demonstrations, and more. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Visiting Sin City

    I’m a recovering alcoholic, ten years sober this June. I almost wrote “recovered alcoholic,” because it’s a problem I’ve long since put to bed in every practical sense. But anyone who’s dealt with addiction knows that that part of your brain never goes away. You just learn to tell the difference between that insidious voice in your head and your actual internal monologue, and you get better at telling the other guy to shut up. Read Now

  • On My Way Out the Door

    To answer that one question I always get, at every booth visit, I have seen amazing product technology, solutions and above all else, the people that make it all work. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Return to Form

    My first security trade show was in 2021. At the time, I was awed by the sheer magnitude of the event and the spectacle of products on display. But this was the first major trade show coming out of the pandemic, and the only commentary I heard was how low the attendance was. Two representatives from one booth even spent the last morning playing catch in the aisle with their giveaway stress balls. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key MobileAuth

    BIO-key International has introduced its new mobile app, BIO-key MobileAuth™ with PalmPositive™ the latest among over sixteen strong authentication factors available for BIO-key's PortalGuard® Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • HID Signo Readers

    HID Signo Readers

    HID Global has announced its HID® Signo™ Biometric Reader 25B that is designed to capture and read fingerprints in real-world applications and conditions. 3