Page 27 - THE Journal, June/July 2017

data. These policies and practices must reflect not just the federal and state regulatory requirements, but also the expectations of the district expectations and community norms.
Of course, policies need to be implemented with adequate
and effective training that not only explains the rules, but also why they are in place. When employees understand the concepts behind the policies, they are able to apply the rules more effective- ly on a daily basis. In addition, school systems need to foster open dialogue with community members about technology, the benefits of the student data they collect, how that has or has not changed with the modern classroom and the ways in which the school system protects and maintains control over the data. There is a good deal of fear — some real and some imagined — that needs
to be addressed in the open, in order to build the confidence of the community.
To support these efforts, CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) developed the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal Program for school systems. Developed with 28 school system leaders, along with lead partners, the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), the School Superintendents Association (AASA) and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the program helps school systems understand the maturity level of their privacy and security programs and identify the gaps for growth. The program also recommends resources to help address those gaps.
School systems with a robust privacy and security model are eligible to earn the TLE Seal, demonstrating to their communities that they have taken tangible, measurable steps to properly man- age the privacy and security of student data. To date, 12 school systems, reflecting a diverse cross section of small, large, urban and rural school districts, have earned the seal.
It is not an easy task, and the TLE program reflects the rigors of the work that school systems need to undertake today. This
is also a task that is never done, as any such program runs on a constant cycle of implementation, auditing, accountability and improvement. However, engagement around these issues is a critical part of the responsibility inherent in leveraging technology in a school system, and putting the right practices in place serves as the foundation for easing fears and building community trust.
For more information on the TLE program, visit www.trustedlearning.org, and for more information on CoSN’s privacy resources, visit cosn.org/privacy.
Linnette Attai is is project director for the CoSN Protecting Privacy in Connected Learning Initiative and the Trusted Learning Environment Seal Program. She is also president of PlayWell, LLC compliance consulting.
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