New resources for leaders on ensuring data privacy

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The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is pleased to continue to support the work of current and aspiring superintendents and district leadership teams in leading all aspects of digital learning transformations.  

Data Privacy Week – January 27-31, 2025
Data Privacy Week is an international event created to encourage everyone to safeguard their data and respect the privacy of others in order to enable trust when working online. Within school settings, one of the main criteria is having policies and practices in place to protect the personal information of all staff and students.
CoSN has a history of providing reliable resources to help school leaders when it comes to protecting their school systems’ data and the data of the people they serve, not only during Data Privacy Week, but throughout each year. You are invited to review and implement CoSN’s free resources for assuring data privacy at https://www.cosn.org/edtech-topics/student-data-privacy/ 

Among the new data privacy resources on the CoSN website is a series of five video interviews with “CoSN Privacy Champions” who each share their thoughts about the importance of Student Data Privacy. Other free resources include links to Data Privacy Blogs and a menu of Data Privacy Resources. 

Trusted Learning Environment Seal
The CoSN Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal program is a unique privacy framework designed to support school system leaders in building effective privacy policies and programs within a culture of trust and transparency. Earning the TLE Seal is a mark of distinction for any school system. When districts earn the TLE seal they are communicating that they have taken strong, measurable steps to help protect the privacy of their students and staff. The TLE Seal Program was developed by CoSN in collaboration with a diverse group of 28 school system leaders nationwide and in partnership with AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), and ASCD. 

Districts now have two options for earning the TLE seal. They can validate their successful practices across all five of the required areas of Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development, and Classroom. Additionally, school districts may choose to work through the TLE process in smaller units by earning separate TLE Mini Seals in one practice area at a time. The TLE website can be accessed at https://www.cosn.org/trusted-learning-environment/. 

EmpowerED Superintendent edLeader Panel Series
CoSN, AASA, and edWeb.net co-host an online edLeader Panel broadcast series, sponsored by ClassLink, to help superintendents connect and collaborate. Registration is free and participants can join the live event, view recordings or listen to podcast versions starting a day or two after the live broadcast.  

The upcoming February 10, 2025 (5:00 pm Eastern Time) edLeader Panel broadcast focuses on the topic of Data Privacy: A Critical Multi-Stakeholder School District Priority. Stephen Harrell, Superintendent, Deer Park Independent School District, TX, Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent, Loudoun County Public Schools, VA and Dr. Calvin J. Watts, Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA, share the strategies their districts implement to ensure that data privacy is successfully put into practice across all facets of their school district operations. Linnette Attai, Project Director for CoSN’s Student Data Privacy Initiative and Trusted Learning Environment Program, joins the superintendents on the February 10, 2025, edLeader Panel broadcast. Learn more about the upcoming broadcast and access the free registration link at: https://home.edweb.net/webinar/supers20250210/. 

If you missed the January 13, 2025, edLeader Panel broadcast on Strategic Technology Planning and Investment: Aligning Priorities, Costs, and Outcomes which featured Krestin Bahr, Superintendent, Peninsula School District 401, WA, Dr. Doug Brubaker, Superintendent, Texarkana Independent School District, TX, and Dr. Bryan Duffie, Superintendent, Alma School District, AR, you are welcome to access the video recording and/or the podcast version at https://home.edweb.net/webinar/supers20250113/. 

CoSN 2025 Conference
The CoSN 2025 Conference is going to take place in Seattle, Washington from March 31 through April 2, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Seattle. You can learn more about CoSN 2025, view the list of Pre-Conference Events and the CoSN 2025 “Schedule at a Glance” agenda, as well as register for the CoSN 2025 Conference at: https://www.cosn.org/cosn2025/.

CoSN Membership
If you, your school or district would like more information about joining CoSN or getting more involved with CoSN, please contact [email protected]. 

Ann McMullan
Ann McMullan
Ann McMullan is an independent education leadership consultant who currently serves as the Project Director for CoSN’s EmpowerED Superintendents Initiative, created in partnership with AASA, The School Superintendents Association. In addition to her role with CoSN, Ann works as a public speaker and writer focused on leadership to meet the needs of today’s students.

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