Innovative Tool Empowers K-12 Organizations to Assess Vendor Risk and Enhance Cybersecurity Measures

 

Washington, D.C. (April 8, 2024) – CoSN today released the K-12 Community Vendor Assessment Tool Lite-V4.1 (K-12CVAT), a questionnaire framework specifically designed for K-12 schools, districts and education service districts to measure vendor risk, during its annual conference, CoSN2024: “Leading for Innovation at Warp Speed.” Developed in collaboration with the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), this tool is a vital resource for ensuring the protection of sensitive school system information and constituents’ personal identifiable information (PII) during procurement processes.

The K-12CVAT simplifies the evaluation of solution providers by offering a standardized questionnaire framework. Developed with the unique needs of K-12 education in mind, this tool facilitates comprehensive assessments of vendors’ information, data and cybersecurity policies. By completing the K-12CVAT, solution providers enable potential and current K-12 organization clients to make well-informed decisions, streamlining procurement processes and enhancing overall security measures.

“The K-12CVAT offers a consistent and single questionnaire for solution providers to complete for potential and current K-12 organization clients to support evaluation and understanding of the risks and opportunities of your product. The advantage of the K-12CVAT is that, once completed, your assessment can be used by multiple K-12 organizations to streamline procurement processes with your K-12 clients. And for school districts, it provides consistent information to do a risk assessment of all bidding companies,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN.

“SETDA is proud to partner with CoSN in reintroducing the K-12CVAT, a pivotal resource for K-12 solution providers. This initiative underscores our collective commitment to streamlining procurement processes while ensuring educational institutions have access to trusted, comprehensive information,” said Julia Fallon, Executive Director, SETDA. “By leveraging the K-12CVAT, vendors can efficiently communicate the value of their offerings to school districts, ultimately fostering innovation and enhancing learning environments.”

Designed based on the Educause Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool – Lite (HECVAT-Lite), the K-12CVAT ensures alignment with industry standards while addressing the specific requirements of K-12 education. By integrating the K-12CVAT into procurement processes, including RFP evaluations, K-12 organizations can effectively mitigate risks and optimize vendor selections.

For more information about the K-12CVAT and to access the questionnaire, please visit https://www.cosn.org/tools-and-resources/resource/k-12cvat/.

 About CoSN
CoSN, the world-class professional association for K-12 EdTech 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. cosn.org

About SETDA
SETDA is the principal association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. www.setda.org/

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:
CoSN: Makenzie Carlin, mcarlin@fratelli.com

SETDA: Jonathan Yang, jyang@setda.org