CoSN TLE Spotlight: Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
The North Carolina Department of Instruction joined CoSN’s TLE State Partnership Program to provide TLE applications and student data privacy supports to all districts in the state. Meet Debby Atwater, Executive Director of Technology for North Carolina’s Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, who sat down with us to share her perspective on the TLE Seal program.
Why did you decide to apply for the TLE Mini Seal?
We applied for the TLE Mini Seal because we recognize that student and staff data protection is our fundamental responsibility. The CoSN Business Practices provided the essential framework to build and implement robust, district-wide expectations and processes. Now, we have a mandated digital resource vetting process and require comprehensive data privacy documentation from all our digital subscription vendors, including free resources that require student accounts. This ensures we’re proactive in safeguarding sensitive information.
When it comes to developing and improving your student data privacy program, what do you find most challenging?
Our greatest challenge was effectively communicating and integrating our data privacy expectations and vetting processes with our staff. We tackled this by implementing formal training at the start of the year, followed by ongoing coaching as resource requests came in. This consistent effort has been transformative; staff now clearly understand that protecting student data is crucial in both physical and digital environments.
What did you learn by going through the TLE application process?
The TLE application process was incredibly insightful. It revealed that many of our best practices were already in place; we simply needed to enhance our process documentation for each one. We also discovered the deep dedication of our district’s stakeholders in supporting our mission to achieve compliance with best practices. This collaborative spirit reinforced our commitment to data privacy.
How do you refresh your student data privacy program each year? What steps do you take to ensure that the program is constantly improving?
We are committed to the continuous improvement of our digital resource vetting process and contract documentation expectations. Each year, we thoroughly assess our TLE materials, processes, and the district’s resource catalog to help ensure our student data privacy practices are current, effective, and clearly communicated to all stakeholders.
What advice do you have for future TLE Seal applicants?
My advice to future TLE Seal applicants is this: It will take time, but it is absolutely worth it. It took us two to three years to acquire our first seal. Find a cohort to work through the process together; our state’s CoSN chapter was an invaluable resource for us. The exercise of meticulously reviewing each practice, engaging in critical discussions with stakeholders, and developing the necessary documentation is a rewarding journey that will significantly enhance your overall data security and privacy posture.
Read more about the Trusted Learning Environment Seal here.
About Debby Atwater:
Debby Atwater serves as the Executive Director of Technology for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, directing the strategic vision and implementation of secure, reliable, and innovative technology solutions.
With a distinguished 29-year career in K-12 education, Atwater brings a comprehensive perspective, informed by her prior roles as the Director of Digital Learning and Libraries, an Instructional Technology Facilitator, and a teacher in North Carolina and Illinois.
She is both a COSN Certified Education Technology Leader and a UNC School of Government Certified Chief Education Technology Officer (CECTO). Atwater’s focus is ensuring that all network, hardware, software, and digitally-enhanced tools are strategically aligned to sustain and elevate learning and operational success throughout the school community.
