Author name: Jessica Arciniega, Katherine Kalpos, Morgan Sexton, & Amelia Vance

Pillars 10-12 10. Well-Designed Student Privacy Laws Have Transparency Requirements Clear, transparent communication between schools and the communities they serve regarding the collection and use of student data is foundational to building and maintaining trust. As education institutions continue to hold vast amounts of sensitive data, it is essential to counteract any skepticism through transparency. When schools embrace transparency in their data-management practices, they cultivate a culture of trust and security. Involving students and parents in this process not only eases concerns but also empowers them. To this end, student privacy legislation should go beyond requiring schools to articulate their […]

Pillars 7-9 7. Well-Designed Student Privacy Laws Provide Resources Well-designed student privacy legislation considers the support necessary to implement student privacy requirements and proactively provide those resources. This support can take various forms, such as designating privacy personnel at the state level, offering training resources, providing model policies for schools to use, and allocating funding. It is crucial for policymakers to ensure that appropriate resources are included in student privacy bills so that schools can comply with privacy requirements without diverting resources from providing quality education to students. Utah’s student privacy law is a fantastic example of how states can

Pillars 4-6 4. Well-Designed Student Privacy Laws Have Definitions That Are Clear and Complete Policymakers must ensure that student privacy legislation is built on a solid foundation of clearly defined terms in order to avoid confusion and to ensure uniform compliance. Ambiguous or missing terms and definitions leave room for potential misinterpretation of student privacy requirements, which can inadvertently result in policies and practices that either do not adequately protect student privacy or are overly restrictive and unnecessarily limit beneficial data sharing. By providing explicit, unambiguous definitions for all significant terms within student privacy legislation, policymakers can promote shared understanding

Pillars 1-3 The Pillars of Well-Designed Student Privacy Legislation Well-designed student privacy laws have similar building blocks: they are well-thought out, clear, and intentional in their approach to addressing student privacy. When crafted with precision, legislation avoids ambiguity, misinterpretations, and mitigates unintended consequences, thereby ensuring robust protections and fostering a learning environment in which students can thrive without compromising their privacy and security. In this section, we provide insights into the foundational pillars of well-designed legislation and how state policymakers have incorporated these practices into effective state laws. 1. Well-Designed Student Privacy Laws Are Designed to Address Specific, Defined Problems