Ohio District Earns CoSN TLE Mini Seal for the Business Practice, Building on Statewide Commitment to Strong Student Data Privacy Protections

 

Washington, D.C. (May 27, 2026) — CoSN — The Consortium for School Networking today announced that Indian Hill Exempted Village School District (IHEVSD) in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Mini Seal for the Business Practice, helping strengthen data privacy protections for the district’s more than 2,200 students.

The CoSN TLE Seal is a national distinction recognizing school districts that implement strong policies and practices to help protect student data privacy, with the Mini Seal acknowledging progress in one of five key areas: Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development, and the Classroom.

To qualify for the Mini Seal in the Business Practice, districts must:

  • Implement a process for vetting online services for data privacy and security;
  • Regularly educate staff on the importance of and expectations for using the vetting process for online services;
  • Incorporate student data privacy and security expectations into contract language and data-sharing agreements; and
  • Apply enforceable privacy and security standards to all business processes associated with student data.

“We congratulate Indian Hill Exempted Village School District on this achievement,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN. “Progress in this area not only supports the responsible handling of student data, but it is also essential to reinforcing trust with students, families, and educators.”

“At Indian Hill, protecting our students includes protecting their data. Earning the CoSN Trusted Learning Environment Mini Seal for Business Practice reflects the intentional systems we have built to rigorously vet every digital tool, strengthen staff understanding and accountability, and hold our partners to the highest standards for privacy and security,” said Dr. Melissa Stewart, Superintendent, IHEVSD. “By embedding clear, enforceable expectations across our operations and partnerships, we are ensuring that student data is safeguarded in every environment where learning occurs.”

IHEVSD’s achievement also demonstrates Ohio’s broader statewide focus on student data privacy. In November 2025, Ohio partnered with CoSN through the TLE State Partnership Program, which provides districts with unlimited free TLE Seal applications, exclusive state data privacy benchmarking reports, and resources and guidance to support improvements in privacy practices. Through the program, Indian Hill EVSD is one of nine districts in the state to earn a TLE Seal or Mini Seal. To date, TLE Seal recipients nationwide have improved privacy protections for over 1.4 million students.

The CoSN TLE Seal is the only privacy framework designed specifically for school systems. Earning the TLE Seal requires that school systems have taken measurable steps to implement, maintain, and improve organization-wide student data privacy practices. All TLE Seal recipients are required to demonstrate that improvement through a reapplication process every two years.

To learn more about the TLE Seal Program, visit: www.cosn.org/trusted.

About CoSN
CoSN, the world-class professional association for K-12 education technology leaders, stands at the forefront of education innovation. We are driven by a mission to equip current and aspiring K-12 education technology leaders, their teams, and school districts with the community, knowledge, and professional development they need to cultivate engaging learning environments. Our vision is rooted in a future where every learner reaches their unique potential, guided by our community. CoSN represents over 13 million students and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. www.cosn.org

About the CoSN Trusted Learning Environment Seal Program
The CoSN Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal Program is the nation’s only data privacy framework for school systems, focused on building a culture of trust and transparency. The TLE Seal was developed by CoSN in collaboration with a diverse group of 28 school system leaders nationwide and with support from AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) and ISTE+ASCD. School systems that meet the program requirements will earn the TLE Seal, signifying their commitment to student data privacy to their community. TLE Seal recipients also commit to continuous examination and demonstrable future advancement of their privacy practices. www.cosn.org/trusted

About Indian Hill Exempted Village School District
Ranked consistently as one of the top-performing schools in Ohio and nationally – the vision of the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District (IHEVSD) is our #IHPromise which prioritizes our students by empowering their voice in a personalized, collaborative, and inclusive learning environment. More than 2,200 young scholars enjoy the exceptional educational services IHEVSD offers ensuring each student’s intellectual development, personal growth, and social responsibility. IHEVSD serves students in the Village of Indian Hill; Kenwood; parts of Symmes Township; Camp Dennison; and a few houses in Loveland. For more information, please visit www.indianhillschools.org, and join the social media conversation – Facebook: Indian Hill Exempted Village School District; X/Twitter: @IHSchools; Instagram: indianhillschools; LinkedIn INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT. www.indianhillschools.org/

MEDIA CONTACTS:
For CoSN: Makenzie Carlin, mcarlin@fratelli.com
For IHEVSD: Heather Higdon, Heather.Higdon@ihsd.us