Student Data Privacy

Salt Lake City School District recognizes that the security of student data is of the utmost importance and we serve as the frontline in the protection of student data. Student data is carefully safeguarded through district policies and procedures, as well as federal and state privacy laws that are specifically designed to protect student data.

Salt Lake City School District collects data including scores on tests and assignments, report card grades, attendance, demographics, information on special needs, graduation and remediation rates, and disciplinary actions. This data is used to determine eligibility for services and to personalize lesson plans for learning and thereby improve student achievement. In addition, student data is shared with approved technology partners to aid in student achievement.

Our district, schools, and technology partners are subject to strict penalties under law if student information is misused or compromised. Information collected about your child’s learning helps our teachers and schools enhance his/her educational experience to ensure student success.

The collection, use, and sharing of student data has both benefits and risks. Parents and students should learn about these benefits and risks and make choices regarding student data accordingly. Students and parents are responsible for the collection, use, or sharing of student data.

Salt Lake City School District pledges to carry out responsible stewardship and appropriate use of student personal information by adhering to all applicable laws and by keeping the following commitments.
We Commit To:

• Not collect a student’s social security number.
• Not collect a student’s criminal record except as required in state law.
• Not collect, maintain, use or share student personal information beyond that needed for authorized educational/school purposes, or as authorized by the parent/student.
• Not build a personal profile of a student other than for supporting authorized educational/school purposes or as authorized by the parent/student.
• Access to personally identifiable data about student learning is limited to those students with whom we work. • Access to personally identifiable information is restricted to trained, qualified people. And they only have access to the specific data they need to do their jobs.
• Disclose clearly in contracts or privacy policies, including in a manner easy for parents to understand, what types of student personal information we collect, if any, and the purposes for which the information we maintain is used or shared with third parties.
• Not share a student’s personally identifiable data unless the personally identifiable data is in accordance with:
  • The Family Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) and related provisions under 20 U.S.C Secs 1232(g) and 1232(h);
  • The Children’s Online Protection Act;
  • or has appropriate data authorization.
• The designated district student data manager shall authorize and manage the sharing, outside of the district, of personally identifiable student data in accordance with state and federal law.
• Maintain a comprehensive data governance and security plan that is reasonably designed to protect the security, privacy, confidentiality, and integrity of student personal information against risks – such as unauthorized access or use, or unintended or inappropriate disclosure – through the use of administrative, technological, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
• Require that our vendors with whom student personal information is shared in order to deliver the educational service, if any, are obligated to implement measures to safeguard student personal information.
• Recognize that a student owns the student’s personally identifiable data and may download, export, transfer, save or maintain the student’s data, including a document.
• In the event of a security breach that results in the release of a student’s personally identifiable information, we will notify the student, if the student is an adult; or the student’s parent or legal guardian, if the student is not an adult.

Parents, students, staff, and community may view a copy of the district’s data governance and security plan located in the resources below.

A list of student data that is collected by the district can be found in the district’s student metadata dictionary located in the resources below.

Optional data found in the metadata dictionary will only be used in aggregate for research purposes and for partnering with outside entities to provide services to Salt Lake City School District.