Student Privacy

Overview

Federal law requires that school district protect the privacy of the students they serve. Below are short articles that describe the requirements and how they impact schools, students and educators.

Privacy & Security Practices in Ed Tech

SOPIPA and COPPA are federal laws enacted to protect student privacy. In an 2018 study, key findings indicate that privacy and security practices in K-12 are inconsistent at best. 

Click here to learn about the key findings.

What are SOPIPA & COPPA? What do teachers need to know?

The Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) was passed in various states prior to federal legislation. Oregon passed SB 187 in 2015. It puts the onus on protecting student data directly on the tech industry.

The Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA) law deals with how websites, apps, and other online operators collect data and personal information from kids under the age of 13. In 2021, legislation was introduced to increase the age to 16.

Review the slides below for information about these laws and what teachers need to do before using apps/sites with students.