The Student Data Privacy Consortium Launches the Development of the Privacy Contract Framework

WASHINGTON - June 30, 2016 - PRLog -- There is a bevy of great organizations providing guidance to schools and states regarding student data privacy.  The Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) will leverage this work and focus on issues being faced by "on-the-ground" practitioners.  The SDPC is a non-profit collaborative of schools, districts, regional and state agencies, policy makers, trade organizations and marketplace providers addressing real-world, adaptable, and implementable solutions to growing data privacy concerns.  This Consortium is developing common leverage activities, artifacts, templates, tools and effective practices, all through the most unique collaborative: end users and marketplace providers working together!

"There is much greater awareness among Wisconsin school districts of Student Data Privacy and Security than there was a year ago. While we, at Green Bay, have already traveled down the road of awareness and assessing current reality and have moved to plan and implementation, other school districts are where we were a year ago. The A4L resources can serve as an operational guide to districts who are seeking information on where to begin.  I know that I will recommend to other school districts that they use the resources from the SDP Consortium to meet their needs whether they're beginners on student data privacy or further on down the line in their action steps looking for operational tactics."
   Diane W. Doersch, Chief Technology & Information Officer, Green Bay Area Public Schools

The first project of the group was to leverage the great work done by the Massachusetts Student Privacy Alliance (MSPA) and their work around a "common contract" for usage across 50 districts. The clear expectation by establishing the contract and the partnership has benefited districts and even the vendors working with them.  Project "Track One" is designed for schools, districts or regional organizations/associations or state agencies that do not yet have a model/template contract designed specifically for their jurisdiction. Project "Track Two" is designed for schools, districts or regional organizations/associations or state agencies that do have a model/template contract designed specifically for their jurisdiction and are ready to create a jurisdictional specific alliance for the purpose of utilizing shared model contracts. Both tracks will utilize SDPC products and services to create and implement common contracts and specific jurisdictional alliance.

"The California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA), representing over 1,000 districts, has joined the Student Data Privacy Consortium based on the great work demonstrated by Massachusetts. The consortium has a mature process for establishing a state-wide contract and a database for posting vetted applications and provides transparency to staff and community.  In California, AB 1584 and SOPIPA legislation has created an overwhelming burden to review every contract and Term of Service, which in some cases has been an impediment to web curriculum in the classroom.  Collaboratively working with our partners, we expect to build clear steps that will streamline the process in protecting our student's data by having a state-wide contract that demonstrates compliance with California legislation."
   Steve Carr, Chief Technology Officer, Ventura County Office of Education and CETPA President-Elect

Currently work is underway in several large districts as well as statewide collaborative groups in California, Virginia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and Maine committed to the project.  The powerful core of end uses and marketplace providers involved in this work will streamline the successful implementation of any education application ecosystem.

To find out more about the SDPC, please visit: https://privacy.A4L.org

About the Access 4 Learning Community

The Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community, previously the SIF Association, is a unique, non-profit collaboration composed of schools, districts, local authorities, states, US and International Ministries of Education, software vendors and consultants who collectively address all aspects of learning information management and access to support learning.  The A4L Community is "Powered by SIF" Specifications as its major technical tool to allow for this management and access simply, securely and in a scalable, standard way regardless of the platform hosting those applications. The Access 4 Learning Community has united these education technology end users and providers in an unprecedented effort to give teachers more time to do what they do best: teach. For further information, visit https://www.A4L.org (http://www.a4l.org/)