District Prioritizes Protecting Student Data Privacy in Earning CoSN’s Trusted Learning Environment Seal

Washington, D.C. (June 21, 2022) – CoSN today awarded the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal to Community High School District 99 (District 99). The TLE Seal is a national distinction that school districts earn for demonstrating a commitment to protecting student data through modern, rigorous policies and practices.

The TLE application process is arduous and humbling. There is quite a distinction between knowing you have a particular practice in place and being able to prove it through documented artifact,” notes Rod Russeau, CETL, CISM, CISSP, CDSPE and Director of Technology & Information Services at Community High School District 99. “Having spent the last five years focusing intently on improving the district’s information security posture, the TLE was the ideal next step to deeply assess how we were doing, improve where needed, and publicly celebrate our successes. Most importantly, it provided a solid opportunity to involve other district and building-level leadership and staff in these important conversations.

The TLE Seal Program is the only student data privacy framework designed specifically for school system. Earning the TLE Seal requires that school systems take measurable steps to ensure strong data privacy practices in the following areas:

  • Leadership, by providing the guidance, frameworks and resources to direct the use and governance of student data in a manner that is transparent to all stakeholders.
  • Business, by establishing vetting processes and contracts for technology providers that, at a minimum, comply with applicable laws while supporting innovation.
  • Data security, by implementing strong data protection practices across all media and auditing regularly to maintain high thresholds over time.
  • Professional development, by requiring school staff to conduct privacy and security training and offering related resources to all community stakeholders.
  • Classroom, by implementing educational processes and procedures to ensure transparency and build privacy knowledge while advancing curricular goals.

We are so pleased to recognize Community High School District 99 as a CoSN TLE Seal recipient. They join a growing group of school systems that are prioritizing student data privacy efforts and committing to ongoing improvements of their student data privacy programs,” said Keith Krueger, CEO CoSN.

Community High School District 99 joins a nationally recognized group of school districts in small, large, urban and rural communities that have earned the TLE Seal. As a recipient, District 99 has implemented strong student data privacy practices and has committed to ongoing improvements.

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To learn more about the TLE Seal Program visit CoSN.org/Trusted.

About CoSN

 

CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. 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 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. CoSN.org/Trusted.

About Community High School District 99

Community High School District 99’s two award-winning high schools, North High School and South High School, serve a population of more than 65,000 residents and an enrollment of nearly 5,000 students from Downers Grove and Woodridge as well as Bolingbrook, Darien, Lisle, Oak Brook and Westmont, Illinois.

MEDIA CONTACT:

For CoSN: Kate Klimaszewski, kklimaszewski@fratelli.com, 202-822-9491

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