Student Data and Privacy
Burbank School District 111 prioritizes the safeguarding of its students' data and privacy, adhering to the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA). This commitment underscores the district's dedication to ensuring the security and confidentiality of all student information within its jurisdiction. SOPPA provides a framework for protecting student data collected through online educational services, and Burbank School District 111 actively implements policies and practices to comply with these regulations. The district's approach to student data protection is comprehensive, encompassing measures to prevent unauthorized access, use, and sharing of student information, thereby fostering a safe and secure online learning environment for all District 111 students.
What is SOPPA?
The Student Online Personal Protection Act, or SOPPA, is the data privacy law that regulates student data collections and use by schools, the Illinois State Board of Education, and education technology vendors.
On August 23, 2019, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a new version of SOPPA that gives parents greater control over student data. Among the changes is a new requirement to enact breach notification that are available to the public.
The goal of SOPPA:
- Increase Transparency
- Protect student data
- Protect students
Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)
Effective July 1, 2021, school districts will be required by the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) to provide additional guarantees that student data is protected when collected by educational technology companies, and that data is used for beneficial purposes only (105 ILCS 85).
District Requirements
Below is a high-level overview of the new requirements. Please refer to the legislation for specific timelines and components of each element.
School districts must:
- Annually post a list of all operators of online services or applications utilized by the district.
- Annually post all data elements that the school collects, maintains, or discloses to any entity. This information must also explain how the school uses the data, and to whom and why it discloses the data.
- Post contracts for each operator within 10 days of signing.
- Annually post subcontractors for each operator.
- Post the process for how parents can exercise their rights to inspect, review and correct information maintained by the school, operator, or ISBE.
- Post data breaches within 10 days and notify parents within 30 days.
- Create a policy for who can sign contracts with operators.
- Designate a privacy officer to ensure compliance.
- Maintain reasonable security procedures and practices. Agreements with vendors in which information is shared must include a provision that the vendor maintains reasonable security procedures and practices.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Read More
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
The primary goal of COPPA is to place parents in control over what information is collected from their young children online. COPPA was designed to protect children under age 13 while accounting for the dynamic nature of the Internet. The Rule applies to operators of commercial websites and online services (including mobile apps) directed to children under 13 that collect, use, or disclose personal information from children, and operators of general audience websites or online services with actual knowledge that they are collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under 13. The Rule also applies to websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information directly from users of another website or online service directed to children. Read More
Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
CIPA was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program. Read More
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
PPRA is intended to protect the rights of parents and students in two ways:
PPRA is intended to protect the rights of parents and students in two ways: • It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors make instructional materials available for inspection by parents if those materials will be used in connection with an ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation in which their children participate; and • It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors obtain written parental consent before minor students are required to participate in any ED-funded survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals certain information. PPRA applies to programs that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Read More
Related Document(s):