Ohio’s new Senate Bill 29 goes into effect today, ushering in new student data privacy requirements for schools and the technology providers we work with to provide instructional and administrative support.
The bill includes two key areas of emphasis: data privacy and parental notification.
Data Privacy
In the past, districts relied on a review of Privacy Policies and Terms of Use to protect student data in their relationships with technology providers. This bill formalizes the process, specifically outlines what must be included in agreements, and establishes new requirements.
What you can expect from the district on Data Privacy:
A contract will be established with each technology provider having access to student information (referred to as ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ or ‘PII’) outlining how data is to be handled, secured, and, when appropriate, destroyed or returned.
Annual notification will be provided to families by August 1 (starting in 2025, likely through FinalForms) of the technology providers we will use and the opportunity to view each contract, including the type of PII involved with each.
The process of compiling this list and shifting to formal contracts is still in process. We will continue to add to the Student Online Resources and Data Privacy section in the “Parent Portals” section of our website. The Crestview Local - Approved Applications list will be the go-to source for families to review those agreements.
Parent Notifications
The second part of the bill regulates the ability of districts and technology providers to electronically access or monitor student use of school devices, including school-issued accounts.
The bill makes exceptions for most typical monitoring needs related to instruction, locating missing devices, addressing threats to health or safety, and complying with state and federal requirements, but requires parent notifications regarding those exceptions.
What you can expect from the district for Notifications:
Annually, we will inform you of our intent to use tools to generally monitor students’ use of their school-issued devices, provide technical support, check assignment progress, and proctor examinations.
Within 72 hours of a specific monitoring or access instance, we will provide written notification, typically through electronic communication, that the district or technology provider has engaged in monitoring the student’s use of district digital resources for purposes such as locating a missing device while off-campus, complying with law enforcement or judicial orders, investigating threats to health and safety, or otherwise complying with state law.
In situations involving investigations of a threat to health and safety, the notice is required within 72 hours after the threat has ceased.
Notice of general monitoring
The district uses software tools to support effective instruction, classroom management, and ensure the digital safety of our students. General monitoring of school devices and/or accounts include:
Content filtering - Includes federally required filtering of internet content to prevent access to inappropriate and objectionable content, as well as the user/device’s browsing history (further investigation or disciplinary action would trigger written notice to parents).
Real-time in-class monitoring - Assists the teacher in ensuring on-task technology use during class or before and after school activities - this tool is activated for on-campus use only.
Application usage patterns - Provide the district with information on which applications are in use on school devices to ensure the protection of student data and that digital resources continue to be fiscally responsible purchases.
Email keyword flagging - Alerts administrators to potentially inappropriate use of email communications (further investigation or disciplinary action would trigger written notice to parents).
Test proctoring - Monitoring of student test session progress
Assignment progress and editing history - Allows the teacher to monitor and assist with a student’s progress on assigned work (further investigation or disciplinary action would trigger written notice to parents).
This monitoring may include off-campus use when using a school-issued device and/or school-issued account.
What we do not monitor
We do not monitor students’ personal devices or personal account use, although our content filter does log network traffic when those devices are connected on-campus to the district’s network. At no point, on-campus or off, does the district have remote access to activate the camera or microphone on a student’s device.
On the horizon
It is anticipated that we will see amendments to Senate Bill 29 in late winter/early spring 2025. If significant changes are made, we will keep you informed.
As always, we are grateful for your partnership as we work to provide your child with a safe, engaging, and successful learning environment.