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Best Practices for Protecting Data

Presentation

Guidance on secure management of data. Topics include data inventories, passwords, file security, access and permissions, mobile devices and data destruction.

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Presentation Materials

Documents and Links

  • Privacy – 10 Steps

    One page summary of concrete steps districts can take today to help ensure privacy of student data from the Consortium on School Networking (CoSN).

  • Data Inventory

    Excel template districts can use to inventory data systems, users and reports. Adapted from District and School Data Team Toolkit-Public Consulting Group.

  • Data De-identification Terms

    An overview of basic terminology used to describe data de-identification to assist educational agencies and institutions with maintaining compliance with privacy and confidentiality requirements under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

  • Data Security Checklist

    Checklist to assist state and local agencies to develop and maintain a successful data security program from the US Department of Education Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).

  • District Security Self-Assessment Checklist

    Questionnaire designed to assess a district’s overall security profile from the Consortium on School Networking (CoSN).

  • District Security Rubric and Planning Grid

    Rubric that describes the status of issues districts can examine to determine current degree of security preparedness from the Consortium on School Networking (CoSN).

  • Access Controls Over Student Systems

    Audit results and recommendations from the NYS State Office of the State Comptroller concerning access control and policy regarding access to district student information systems.

  • Security of PPI in MCDs

    Audit report from the NYS State Office of the State Comptroller on the security of Personal, Private and Sensitive Information (PPSI) in Mobile Computing Devices (MCDs).

  • Best Practices for Data Destruction

    Best Practices for a data management program including data retention and destruction, from the US Department of Education Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).