Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Data Privacy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves joining state data-privacy consortium under NY Education Law 2-d
Summary
The Schenectady City School District Board approved a resolution to use a statewide student-data privacy consortium to streamline Education Law 2-d contracts for vendors that receive student or teacher data.
The Schenectady City School District Board of Education on April 23 approved a resolution to participate in a New York State student-data privacy consortium intended to streamline contracts required under Education Law 2-d.
The resolution, described in a presentation by Kurt Redmond, director of instructional technology and the district's data protection officer, would let the district rely on consortium-negotiated third-party agreements for vendors that receive personally identifiable information (PII). Redmond said the consortium allows the district to “piggyback” on agreements other districts have already negotiated and that it speeds vendor onboarding.
Redmond told the board the resolution pertains to New York Education Law 2-d and the district’s board policy on data privacy (board policy 5676). He described the district’s existing internal review—approval by teaching and learning, IT review, and 2-d contract vetting—and said the consortium would reduce the time spent negotiating each vendor contract. “We had 1 today that we put in for a new product that we’re gonna be doing a pilot trial with. And within 10 minutes, I had in my inbox the thing to sign that we were piggybacking on the agreement,” Redmond said.
Redmond said the consortium also centralizes a list of approved programs for the district website, streamlines required data-destruction documentation when the district stops using a vendor, and offers collective support if there were to be a data breach. He added that the district would still review agreements and could revert to individual negotiation if necessary.
Board members asked how many vendors are already covered; Redmond said the list is “continually growing” and that some vendors in the pilot still require time to be added, but he expects most vendors the district will use to be available by the middle of next school year.
The board voted to approve the "RICk1 Risk Operations Center Information Resolution" (as listed on the meeting agenda). The motion was moved by Board member Kathy, seconded by the vice president, and the chair announced the motion was approved by voice vote.
The resolution will be brought forward as a recurring, yearly board resolution, Redmond said, so the board can confirm ongoing membership in the consortium at reorganization each year.
