Metro Atlanta school district wins national recognition for student data privacy

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County Public Schools won national recognition for its commitment to preserving its students’ data privacy, according to an announcement from the school district.

According to the announcement, GCPS was awarded the Trusted Learning Environment Mini Seals for Classroom and Professional Development Practices from the Consortium for School Networking.

“CoSN is committed to providing the guidance needed to make the work of protecting student data privacy easier for districts to manage. We’re delighted to see the dedication to this important work from Gwinnett County Public Schools and districts across the country,” Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN said about the award.

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CoSN’s Trusted Learning Environment award is given to school districts that “demonstrate robust privacy policies and practices safeguarding student information,” according to GCPS.

The privacy and safeguarding policies are implemented across five areas: Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development and the Classroom.

“The TLE program helps K-12 schools and districts build strong, effective privacy programs, and a culture of trust and transparency,” according to the Consortium.

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The TLE Seal Program, according to GCPS’ award release, ensures high standards for protecting student data privacy and provides districts with targeted recognition and guidance for privacy practices.

“Maintaining the privacy of the data we are entrusted to hold in Gwinnett County Public Schools is a critical activity for every member of the organization,” GCPS Executive Director of Data Governance Dr. Debbie Durrence said in a statement. “This recognition demonstrates the district’s commitment to keeping our students’ data safe while maximizing opportunities for each and every student.”

GCPS said their participation in the TLE Seal Program showed Georgia’s commitment to safeguarding student data, with the program described as “the sole privacy framework tailored specifically for school systems.”

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