Before you enter into a contract with a vendor that will be accessing student data you might want to check out www.studentprivacypledge.org.  The Student Privacy Pledge is a commitment to maintain confidentiality and otherwise guard the privacy of students and parents.  According to the website, 445 companies that work with schools have signed this pledge.  Requiring your vendors to sign The Pledge, along with having strong data privacy and confidentiality provisions in your contracts go a long way toward demonstrating your school district’s commitment to compliance with FERPA and other privacy laws.

If you have questions about this, or how it might be incorporated into contracts, please call one of the lawyers in our firm. We know about this stuff, and will be happy to help!

DAWG BONE: I STILL THINK “FERPA” IS THE NAME OF SOME LITTLE GIRL IN EAST TEXAS.

Tomorrow: How grateful are you?