Parents and guardians want assurances that their personal information, and that of their children, is secure and protected by our school system. Questions are rising as we use the internet, mobile apps, cloud based services, online learning and new technologies to deliver high quality and exciting new education services.
At College Station ISD, our goal is to be clear about what data we collect, how it is used to support our students and the safeguards we put in place to protect the data.
What Data Do We Collect?
About Our Students & Families
We collect data such as addresses and phone numbers, gender and age, as well as information to ensure student safety and accurate reporting to help our schools run efficiently.
Student Progress
We collect data such as attendance, grades and participation in school-sponsored extra curricular activities to enable students to succeed.
Decision Making
We collect results from local, state and national assessments to provide teachers, administrators and parents with important information about student, program and school performance and improve the education programs we offer.
Communication & Feedback
We collect surveys and other feedback to improve teaching and learning and address other issues important to students and their families.
How Does Educational Data Support Student Success and School Improvement?
data = success!
Teachers need data to understand when students are thriving and when they need more support in learning specific concepts.
Parents and guardians need access to their child’s educational data to help them succeed.
Students need feedback on their progress so they are empowered to make good decisions about program choices and prepare for success.
School Officials and community members need to understand school performance and know if educational resources are being allocated fairly and effectively.
How Is This Data Protected?
We follow federal and state education privacy laws and adhere to privacy and security guidelines and best practices.
For example, the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents rights related to their children’s education records and personally identifiable information. Additional information is available in our annual notice to parents of their rights under FERPA and from the U.S. Department of Education.
When we use an online service provider to process or store data, they must also adhere to certain federal and state and privacy laws. We also expect them to use current security protocols and technology.
Additionally, the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prevents child-directed websites and apps from collecting certain personal information from anyone under 13 years of age without parental permission. Our district may consent on behalf of parents in the education context when the student information is collected for the school’s exclusive use and benefit and for no other commercial purpose.
Under FERPA, our vendors cannot use the education records we provide in any way that is not authorized by the school district. They cannot sell this data or allow others to access it except as we permit in accordance with federal and state education privacy laws.
Learn More About Your Rights
Learn more about the rights of parents and guardians:
Data Quality Campaign or National PTA or Common Sense Media