Edward Bureaucracy of Schools Adopts 2,000 Apps: Unveiling One District's Data Privacy Measures
In Fayette County Schools, a renewed focus on data privacy has led to stricter regulations on edtech apps and a more collaborative approach between the technology and curriculum departments.
The district has placed great importance on clear communication with educators regarding data privacy initiatives, emphasizing the need for transparency and security in the use of apps. This emphasis comes in response to an increase in school privacy breaches and safety concerns.
To analyse app use within the district, the Fayette IT team has deployed Lightspeed Systems tools. These tools help in evaluating digital resources for safety, security, data policies, sharing, advertising, and other factors.
The technology team is responsible for this evaluation, working closely with the curriculum department to establish how apps are vetted. The team's efforts have led to the establishment of standardized procedures for educators to request permission to use new apps.
Each request goes through a rubric-based evaluation process, considering safety, security, data policies, sharing, and advertising from multiple perspectives. The district prioritizes apps that are engaging, interactive, and provide proper rigor for students, as long as they do not require rostering of students or use student names and emails.
Any app or platform that requires students to provide their names or other identifying information is not permitted in Fayette County Schools. This policy has led to the discovery of unauthorized apps being used that were not paid for by the curriculum department.
To build educator support for data privacy initiatives, the district encourages multiple rounds of communication. Leadership meetings and communications with principals have been conducted to reinforce the importance of these initiatives.
The conversation about student data privacy and quality in Fayette County Schools has been ongoing for several years. Teachers work within their school and with their leadership to submit a request for a digital resource. The principal or designee then approves the request before it moves forward in the approval process.
The technology team and curriculum department work together to ensure that the apps used are standards-based, vetted by coordinators, and teachers, and provide the proper rigor for students. The request for a digital resource then moves forward to the district office for further evaluation.
A recent report from Lightspeed Systems finds that most school districts have more than 2,000 apps in use, but 300 apps account for 99 percent of school usage. To secure student information sharing, the district has established plans to only allow it in vetted and approved apps from a privacy and curriculum perspective.
In conclusion, Fayette County Schools is taking significant steps to ensure the safety and privacy of student data by implementing stricter regulations on edtech apps and a collaborative approach between the technology and curriculum departments.
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