In late March, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing entitled “Strengthening Education Research and Privacy Protections to Better Serve Students."
While broadly speaking, the hearing was designed to focus on the pending reauthorization of the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), as well as changes being proposed to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), it was much more far reaching. Topics ranged from parental rights and technology to research needs across a host of education policy questions informed by student data. Overwhelmingly, policymaker questions and witness statements were thoughtful and reflected a desire to strike a balance between the need to provide education data for educational research purposes, and the need for data privacy and security.
As Chairman Kline said in his opening statement, “Improving education remains a leading priority for our committee, and it’s my hope we can take additional steps to improve education by enhancing education research and strengthening student privacy protections.”
While state policy efforts that would restrict education data and research efforts were discussed, other witnesses emphasized the protections already in place and the critical importance of robust data systems in improving student outcomes. Hearing participants noted the growing role that technology plays in collecting and utilizing student data, and the security and privacy challenges it brings.
For example, Neil Campbell, policy director for Next Generation Reforms at the Foundation for Excellence in Education Policymakers recognized the challenges in striking this balance said, “Effective privacy policies require a delicate balance, finding an intersection that respects parents’ desire to protect information about their children, acknowledges the capacity of state and local education agencies, and allows for innovative practices in schools.” Other witnesses provided examples of how that is already happening in their states or research communities.
In addition to the reauthorization of ESRA, there are several privacy-related bills pending in Congress, but their future is uncertain. You can read more about the hearing in an Education Week story, and access a recording and copies of witness statements on the Committee’s webpage.
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