Security Best Practices

This section provides best practice resources related to data security issues. These materials have been designed to help education stakeholders, such as state and local educational agencies, the postsecondary community, and other parties responsible for safeguarding student records, to improve protection of student records in their care.

Guidance

Policies for Users of Student Data Checklist

This PTAC Document aims to assist schools and districts in crafting data use policies to ensure appropriate protection of students’ data. While it is not mandatory to develop a data use policy, the U.S. Department of Education recommends doing so as a best practice.

Guidance

Issue Brief: Data Security Top Threats to Data Protection

This brief outlines critical threats to educational data and information systems. Threats are divided into two categories: technical and non-technical. A brief description of each threat is followed by a suggestion of appropriate risk mitigation measures.

Guidance

Data Security and Management Training: Best Practice Considerations

This brief provides best practices for data security and data management trainings for educational leaders. The brief discusses key training concepts to follow, content, delivery methods, and possible audiences for these trainings.

Guidance

Model Terms of Service Guidance Webinar - April 2015

This webinar accompanies the published guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on the student privacy landscape, click-wrap agreements, and proper evaluation of provisions in terms of service agreements.

Guidance

Recorded Webinars

Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services - March 2014

This webinar provides an overview of the guidance document entitled "Protecting Student Privacy While Using Online Educational Services.

Guidance

Data Breach Response Checklist

This publication provides educational agencies and institutions with a checklist of critical breach response components and steps to assist stakeholder organizations in building a comprehensive data breach response capability. The checklist is meant to be used as a general example illustrating some current industry best practices in data breach response and mitigation applicable to education community.

Guidance

Responding to IT Security Audits: Improving Data Security Practices

Information Technology (IT) audits can help organizations identify critical gaps in data security and
reduce the threat of security compromises. This issue brief explains what audits are and how they can
be used to improve data security.

Letters

Letter to Tazewell County (VA) School Board re: Unauthorized Access to Education Record Systems

Reponse to the Tazewell County, Virginia School Board regarding a plan for a shared computer network which would potentially allow electronic student educational records to be accessed by persons or entities not employed by the school system.

Search form

Search form