Are You Privacy Literate?

Educators take care of their students...
It’s just as important to take care of their student’s information.

Online privacy is a new literacy that educators and students need to learn and practice. But what should teachers consider before adopting a digital tool?     

Teachers should be aware of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable state laws, along with GCPS policies regarding the use of educational products and services from educational technology vendors and the use of student data. 

What constitutes student data?    

Information that is tied to individual students is referred to as directory information and non-directory information.

• Directory information is educational records that are generally not considered harmful to students if publicly released, such as name, age, address, and grade level.                                                             
• Non‐directory information is educational records that are more sensitive than directory information, such as social security number, student ID, grades, disciplinary history, and attendance record.

Personally identifiable information, or PII, can be either directory information or non-directory information. PII is information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a person, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty. Under FERPA, you cannot share non‐directory, PII information without parental consent. Generally, you can share directory information without parental consent, unless parents have told the school otherwise.