Why Student Data Privacy and Security Matters

Dedham Public Schools privacy and data policies ensure that the District is ethically and legally protecting student safety and student information, including student work. Protecting students from harm--identity theft, harassment, and unauthorized data collection-- are critical concerns. As an educator, it is our job to ensure our students are protected in this manner.  Dedham Public Schools  (DPS) seeks to ensure the protection of the privacy of students. This is in support of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Massachusetts student record regulations, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), etcetera . We have been working diligently to implement effective practices to ensure that student privacy is protected.

In today’s world of advancing online resources teachers, students, and parents are benefiting from an ever increasing wealth of tools to support teaching and learning. The growth in these tools is extraordinary with great potential to improve student outcomes. Along with this explosion in growth of online learning tools, comes the inherent risks of leakage of student data and understandable concerns over student privacy.  

As part of our committment to student data privacy and security, the district has established a Data Privacy Team (DPT) which consistents of Central Office Administrators.  This team meets twice a month and annually reviews data privacy as outlined in section VII of the Student Data Privacy Policy.