Key points:
Protecting student data is critical for school district IT leaders, but many cite leadership and training gaps, along with time and manpower, as obstacles in that pursuit, according to the 2025 National Student Data Privacy Report from CoSN.
The report is based on results of a survey of school district edtech leaders from across the country. The report, divided into two parts, provides an unprecedented look into how districts are managing the critical task of safeguarding student data.
With more than 130 state student data privacy laws that have proliferated across the country and a steady stream of headlines highlighting data breaches in schools, the importance of safeguarding student data has become more critical than ever. The report examines how those responsible for student data privacy programs assess their district’s privacy practices, the tools and resources available to them, additional supports they find valuable and barriers to improvement.
“The 2025 National Student Data Privacy Report underscores the urgent need for stronger leadership, training and resources to protect student data in an increasingly digital world. The report provides a roadmap for districts to build stronger, more resilient privacy programs and highlights the significant impact of CoSN’s Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal in fostering leadership alignment and cross-departmental collaboration,” said Keith Krueger, CoSN’s CEO.
New School Safety Resources
CoSN surveyed more than 400 edtech leaders from across 39 states and the District of Columbia. Key findings from the report include:
Leadership and training gaps: Nearly 90 percent of edtech leaders who participated in the survey noted that they oversee their district’s student data privacy program, yet 73 percent say it’s not part of their job description and 17 percent have never received any relevant privacy training. A quarter of those trained paid out of pocket.
Barriers to improvement: Time and manpower (60 percent), guidance on federal laws (47 percent), state laws (46 percent) and privacy expertise generally (38 percent) were more frequently cited as barriers than financial resources (36 percent).
Employee-related concerns: Eighty-nine percent cite employee-related issues as extremely or very concerning, including challenges managing behavior (76 percent), controlling the influx of free and low-cost classroom technologies (69 percent), enforcing policies (55 percent) and mandating privacy training (49 percent).
Program performance disparities: Districts that have earned the CoSN Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal, or have indicated that they are working towards obtaining one, are far more likely to outperform other districts with respect to the breadth and maturity of their student data privacy programs.
Opportunities for improvement: While district edtech leaders are committed to student data privacy, the necessary organizational structure to develop, implement and sustain a privacy program may not yet be in place across all districts. The report’s findings indicate the importance of reinforcing a commitment to student data privacy from leadership as a core priority while providing district EdTech leaders with training and implementation support to strengthen privacy practices.
“Protecting student data privacy has never been more important. The report demonstrates–for the first time–what school districts really need to be successful in their privacy efforts and the steps that every district can take to improve,” said Linnette Attai, project director of the CoSN Student Data Privacy Initiative and Trusted Learning Environment Program, and president of PlayWell, LLC.
The CoSN TLE Seal and the new TLE State Partnership Program are designed to close these gaps by equipping districts with actionable resources, training and a proven rubric of 25 data privacy practices.
States like Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina are already partnering with CoSN to empower districts through this initiative. By achieving the TLE Seal, districts not only reinforce their commitment to protecting student information but also build trust within their communities, setting a standard for excellence in data privacy and security that benefits students, families and educators alike.
This press release originally appeared online.
