I Agree, but Do I Know? Privacy and Student Data

In April 2015, U.S. House Representatives Luke Messer and Jared Polis introduced the bipartisan Student Digital Privacy and Parental Rights Act of 2015, designed to significantly restrict how online education vendors can exploit the personal data of students who use their products. For some, the bill does not go far enough. It is evident that future prospects for student online privacy regulation hinge on many political debates to come--and encompass innovation, education, society, corporations, and democracy. News reports, parent concerns, and information from professional organizations like the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) have raised the bar on online student privacy protection. Common Sense Media reports that there is bipartisan national support among adults, even those without children in school, for "tighter regulations on student data…to ensure their private information is not exploited for commercial purposes and stays out of the hands of the wrong people" (2014). With U.S. policy in flux--and schools, vendors, and parents all responsible parties, this article provides information about current federal regulations governing school data privacy.