A version of this post was previously posted on the Future of Privacy Forum blog.
On May 17th, Future of Privacy Forum’s (FPF) Amelia Vance, Director of the Education Privacy Project, testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for their hearing on “Protecting Privacy, Promoting Data Security: Exploring How Schools and States Keep Data Safe.” Amelia discussed how states, districts and ed tech companies are working together to ensure student privacy.
She also discussed the value of technology and data when it is used and implemented properly, and described innovative practices that help schools, states, and companies protect student privacy. Finally, she mentioned some of the challenges and opportunities that stakeholders face when supporting appropriate use of educational technologies while safeguarding privacy.
Other witnesses at the hearing were David Couch, K-12 CIO and Associate Commissioner of the Kentucky Office of Education Technology; Catherine Lhamon, Attorney and Former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education; and Dr. Gary Lilly, Superintendent of Bristol Tennessee City Schools.
Amelia previously spoke on student privacy at the December 2017 workshop on student privacy and ed tech, hosted by the FTC and the U.S. Department of Education.
FPF is a non-profit organization focused on consumer privacy issues. FPF primarily equips and convenes key stakeholders to find actionable solutions to the privacy concerns raised by the speed of technological development. FPF’s Education Privacy Project works to ensure student privacy while supporting technology use and innovation in education that can help students succeed. Among other initiatives, FPF maintains the education privacy resource center website, Student Privacy Compass, and co-founded the Student Privacy Pledge.
A full version of Amelia’s testimony is available here.
