Indiana and Ohio Each Welcome Their Second CoSN Trusted Learning Environment Seal Recipients

Washington, D.C. (September 12, 2022) – CoSN today awarded the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal to Noblesville Schools in Indiana and Rocky River City School District in Ohio. This is the second district in each state to earn the TLE Seal, a national distinction awarded to school districts that demonstrate a tangible commitment to protecting student data through modern, rigorous policies and practices.

The CoSN TLE Seal Program is the only privacy framework designed specifically for school systems. TLE Seal recipients are currently protecting the privacy of over 1 million students annually and providing privacy training for almost 70,000 teachers nationwide.

“The process of completing the TLE was collaborative and really helped us reflect on our practices. It reaffirmed that we have a lot of things in place, but also helped us stretch our minds to find ways that we can improve and do better,” said Bryan Drost, Executive Director, Educational Services, Rocky River City Schools.

“As education technology needs and tools continue to grow and evolve, Noblesville Schools is committed to protecting our students and staff’s data,” said Andrew Swickheimer, Director of Technology, Noblesville Schools. “Earning the Trusted Learning Environment Seal reiterates our commitment to maintaining strong privacy and security protections.”

Earning the TLE Seal requires that school systems take specific steps to implement 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’re delighted with the continued growth of the CoSN TLE Seal Program in Indiana and Ohio. We applaud the work of our latest TLE Seal recipients and of the school districts nationwide that continue to leverage the TLE Seal Program to support development and maturity of organization-wide student data privacy programs,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN.

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 Noblesville Schools

Noblesville Schools is a nationally recognized school district serving over 10,000 students across 10 different school sites in Noblesville, Indiana. Our commitment to academic excellence, strong connection to our hometown community, accomplished staff, and state-of-the-art facilities are important components of our Miller spirit. The academic achievements of our students make us a top performing district in Indiana and nationally. www.noblesvilleschools.org/

About Rocky River City School District

At the Rocky River City School District, we provide a caring environment and exceptional opportunities, resulting in successful students who are globally competitive. With an enrollment of around 2,700 in grades K-12, the district provides students with the benefits of a small-school setting and all the resources of a larger school district. Long known for its tradition of academic quality, RRCSD continually excels academically. More than 90-percent of Rocky River High School Class of 2022 graduates continued on to colleges or universities across the country. The Rocky River City Schools has earned five National Blue Ribbon Awards and are consistently ranked in the prestigious Top-10 List of Cleveland area schools by Cleveland Magazine. www.rrcs.org/

MEDIA CONTACTS:

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

For Noblesville Schools: Marnie Cooke, marnie_cooke@nobl.k12.in.us, 313-773-3171 x10430

For Rocky River City School District: Greg Murphy, murphy.greg@rrcs.org, 440-356-6000 x1473