Strengthening Student Privacy Laws – NSDPA’s Efforts to Push for Stronger Privacy Protections at the Federal and State Levels
The National Student Data Privacy Association (NSDPA) is dedicated to advocating for stronger student privacy protections at both the federal and state levels. As digital learning becomes more widespread, schools and EdTech vendors collect and process increasing amounts of student data, raising concerns about security, transparency, and data misuse. NSDPA works to ensure that privacy laws evolve to keep pace with emerging risks, close regulatory loopholes, and hold vendors accountable for responsible data practices.
Through policy research, legislative advocacy, and stakeholder collaboration, NSDPA actively pushes for stronger student data privacy laws that protect student rights, limit unnecessary data collection, and enforce stricter security standards. Below are key areas where NSDPA is leading efforts to strengthen student privacy legislation at both the federal and state levels.
Federal Advocacy for Student Privacy Protections
At the federal level, NSDPA engages with Congress, federal agencies, and regulatory bodies to ensure that student privacy laws are strengthened and properly enforced. Our key federal advocacy efforts include:
Supporting FERPA Modernization: Advocating for updates to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to include stronger vendor accountability provisions, breach notification requirements, and parental consent enhancements.
Advocating for COPPA 2.0: Working with policymakers to pass updated Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) legislation that extends privacy protections to teenagers (ages 13–16) and limits behavioral advertising in EdTech applications.
Pushing for National Data Breach Notification Standards: Supporting the development of federal laws requiring schools and vendors to report data breaches within strict timeframes to ensure transparency and timely mitigation efforts.
Limiting Third-Party Data Sharing: Advocating for legislation restricting EdTech vendors from selling or monetizing student data, ensuring that student information is used strictly for educational purposes.
Enhancing Federal Oversight & Enforcement: Encouraging stronger regulatory oversight of student data privacy violations, including greater enforcement powers for the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
State-Level Student Privacy Advocacy
In addition to federal efforts, NSDPA works directly with state legislators, education agencies, and school districts to strengthen state-specific student data privacy laws. Our key priorities at the state level include:
Expanding Statewide Privacy Frameworks: Advocating for statewide Student Data Privacy Agreements (SDPAs) that set consistent privacy standards for school districts and vendors.
Strengthening Vendor Transparency Laws: Supporting laws that require EdTech vendors to publicly disclose their data collection, storage, and security practices.
Enhancing Parental Rights & Opt-Out Mechanisms: Pushing for state laws that give parents greater control over their child's data, including stronger consent requirements and opt-out options for non-essential data collection.
Restricting Biometric & AI Data Collection in Schools: Advocating for state laws that regulate the use of biometric data and AI-based student profiling in education.
Improving State-Level Breach Response Laws: Encouraging states to pass mandatory student data breach notification laws, requiring schools and vendors to notify affected families within a set timeframe.
Coalition-Building & Stakeholder Engagement
To drive real policy change, NSDPA collaborates with key stakeholders, including school district leaders, legal experts, advocacy groups, and industry organizations. Our approach includes:
Partnering with School Districts: Working with LEAs and superintendents to identify real-world privacy concerns and advocate for practical legislative solutions.
Engaging with Policymakers & Lawmakers: Meeting with state and federal legislators to provide research-backed policy recommendations that strengthen privacy laws while remaining feasible for schools.
Supporting Parent & Educator Advocacy: Providing privacy toolkits, awareness campaigns, and training to help parents and educators push for stronger privacy protections at the district and state levels.
Collaborating with Legal & Privacy Experts: Partnering with privacy law professionals and cybersecurity experts to develop model policies and best practices for schools and vendors.
Legislative Wins & Impact
NSDPA’s advocacy has directly contributed to several legislative successes, including:
The passage of stronger student privacy laws in states like Illinois, California, and New York.
The adoption of statewide model DPAs, simplifying vendor compliance and reducing privacy risks.
Increased funding for school district cybersecurity training and data protection initiatives.
Greater enforcement of privacy violations by vendors, leading to better security practices and transparency.
How You Can Get Involved
NSDPA’s advocacy efforts are strongest when education stakeholders, vendors, and policymakers work together. You can support student data privacy advocacy efforts by:
Joining NSDPA’s Policy Working Groups to help shape privacy legislation.
Attending NSDPA advocacy events, legislative briefings, and town hall discussions.
Engaging with state and federal lawmakers to push for stronger student privacy laws.
Contributing to NSDPA research efforts, white papers, and legislative testimony.
Encouraging vendors to adopt stronger transparency and security commitments.
Join the Fight for Stronger Student Privacy Protections
Student data privacy must remain a top priority in education policy. Through collaboration, research, and legislative advocacy, NSDPA is working to ensure that student data is protected, vendors are held accountable, and privacy remains a fundamental right for all students.
Become an Advocate Today! Sign up for NSDPA’s advocacy initiatives to receive policy updates, legislative alerts, and opportunities to take action. Together, we can shape the future of student data privacy and security.
Partnering with Education & Privacy Organizations – Collaborating with Other Advocacy Groups and Legal Experts to Improve Privacy Policies
Ensuring strong student data privacy protections requires collaboration across multiple organizations, advocacy groups, and legal experts. No single entity can fully address the complexities of data governance, compliance enforcement, and evolving privacy regulations alone. The National Student Data Privacy Association (NSDPA) actively partners with education-focused advocacy groups, privacy law experts, cybersecurity professionals, and policy think tanks to create comprehensive and practical privacy policies that benefit students, schools, and vendors.
By working with trusted education and privacy organizations, NSDPA helps ensure that legislative efforts are backed by research, schools have access to best practices, and EdTech vendors follow transparent and ethical data protection standards. These partnerships drive real policy improvements, strengthen compliance frameworks, and create a unified voice advocating for student data privacy protections.
Why Collaboration is Essential for Student Data Privacy
Student data privacy is a rapidly evolving issue, with new challenges emerging as technology advances. Collaboration between privacy organizations, legal professionals, and educational institutions ensures that policy recommendations are both legally sound and practically implementable. NSDPA’s collaborative approach helps:
Unify privacy advocacy efforts by aligning with national and state-level organizations.
Ensure privacy policies reflect the latest legal and technological advancements.
Expand access to privacy resources for schools, districts, and vendors.
Develop standardized privacy frameworks that simplify compliance for all stakeholders.
Strengthen legislative proposals by leveraging legal expertise and research-backed data.
NSDPA’s Key Privacy & Education Partnerships
NSDPA collaborates with leading education and privacy advocacy groups to advance student data protection policies. Some of our key partners include:
Future of Privacy Forum (FPF): Partnering on privacy research, best practices, and legislative analysis.
Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC): Aligning data privacy agreements (DPAs) across districts for standardized compliance.
State Education Agencies (SEAs): Working with state-level policymakers to implement privacy-friendly school policies.
Legal & Policy Research Organizations: Collaborating with privacy law experts and advocacy groups to analyze and refine student privacy legislation.
Cybersecurity Coalitions: Engaging with cybersecurity professionals and IT leaders to enhance student data security frameworks.
Collaboration in Policy Development & Advocacy
NSDPA works closely with education-focused privacy organizations and legal experts to ensure that privacy laws are both enforceable and effective. Through joint policy initiatives, NSDPA contributes to:
Drafting Model Privacy Legislation: Partnering with legal experts to develop best-practice privacy policies for schools and vendors.
Advocating for Federal & State Policy Improvements: Collaborating with advocacy groups to push for stronger student privacy protections.
Creating Privacy Training & Awareness Campaigns: Providing educators, administrators, and vendors with updated privacy education.
Analyzing Emerging Privacy Threats: Engaging with cybersecurity and privacy professionals to address new student data risks.
Standardizing Vendor Privacy Agreements: Aligning Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs) across multiple states to simplify compliance.
Bringing Together Legal Experts & Educators
NSDPA plays a key role in bridging the gap between privacy law professionals and school administrators. Many school districts lack dedicated legal teams to interpret privacy laws, making it difficult to ensure full compliance with regulations like FERPA, COPPA, and state-specific privacy laws. NSDPA helps by:
Connecting schools with legal experts who specialize in education privacy laws.
Developing legal toolkits that provide easy-to-understand compliance checklists.
Offering guidance on data-sharing agreements to help schools negotiate vendor contracts effectively.
Providing privacy law updates so schools and vendors stay informed on legislative changes.
Joint Privacy Research & Data Protection Studies
By partnering with research institutions, universities, and policy groups, NSDPA supports evidence-based policymaking. This ensures that student data privacy policies are grounded in real-world research and impact assessments. Recent research partnerships have focused on:
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on student privacy.
Vendor compliance with state and federal privacy laws.
Best practices for securing student data in cloud-based learning environments.
Cybersecurity trends and emerging privacy risks in K-12 schools.
How Schools and Vendors Can Benefit from NSDPA’s Partnerships
Schools, districts, and EdTech vendors can leverage NSDPA’s collaborations to improve their own privacy policies, compliance strategies, and security measures. By engaging with NSDPA’s network of experts, stakeholders gain:
Access to privacy compliance frameworks and standardized agreements.
Guidance on negotiating strong vendor contracts that prioritize student data protection.
Training and workshops on new privacy laws and best practices.
Legal support in interpreting and implementing new privacy regulations.
Get Involved in NSDPA’s Collaborative Privacy Efforts
NSDPA encourages schools, vendors, policymakers, and legal professionals to actively participate in privacy-focused collaborations. Whether you are looking to improve school privacy policies, advocate for stronger legislation, or contribute research on emerging privacy issues, NSDPA provides opportunities to make an impact.
Ways to Get Involved:
Join NSDPA’s working groups on privacy policy development.
Participate in joint research initiatives with universities and legal experts.
Engage in policy discussions with advocacy groups and education leaders.
Contribute to privacy awareness campaigns and professional training.
Partner with NSDPA to Strengthen Student Data Privacy
Protecting student data requires a unified approach. By partnering with leading education and privacy organizations, NSDPA ensures that student data privacy remains a top priority at all levels of education policy and technology development.
Get Involved Today! Join NSDPA’s privacy collaboration efforts and be part of a nationwide initiative to protect student data and promote responsible data governance in education.
Providing Expert Testimony & Policy Recommendations – NSDPA’s Role in Advising Legislators and Government Agencies on Student Privacy Issues
As student data privacy concerns continue to grow, policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels look to experts for guidance on creating, updating, and enforcing laws that protect student information. The National Student Data Privacy Association (NSDPA) plays a key role in advising legislators, regulatory agencies, and education policymakers by providing expert testimony, policy recommendations, and research-driven insights into the evolving landscape of student data privacy.
NSDPA ensures that privacy laws remain effective, enforceable, and balanced, providing necessary protections for students while maintaining practical implementation guidelines for schools and vendors. Through direct engagement with legislative bodies, participation in policy hearings, and publication of white papers, NSDPA helps shape data privacy policies that protect student information without disrupting digital learning advancements.
NSDPA’s Role in Expert Testimony & Policy Advising
NSDPA regularly testifies before legislative committees, government agencies, and education policy boards to provide lawmakers with research-backed recommendations on student data privacy issues. Our testimony and policy guidance cover topics such as:
Strengthening data security requirements for schools and vendors.
Updating FERPA and COPPA to reflect modern technology and privacy risks.
Clarifying third-party data-sharing policies to ensure transparency and accountability.
Establishing national breach notification standards for student data security incidents.
Promoting vendor compliance with standardized Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs).
Ensuring parental and student rights in digital learning environments.
NSDPA’s expert testimony provides legislators with real-world insights from schools, privacy advocates, and cybersecurity professionals, ensuring that laws and regulations are both effective and feasible for implementation.
Key Policy Recommendations from NSDPA
NSDPA develops detailed policy recommendations to guide lawmakers in drafting privacy legislation that prioritizes data security, transparency, and student rights. Our recommendations focus on:
Data Protection & Security: Schools and vendors must be required to encrypt student data, enforce multi-factor authentication, and conduct regular security audits.
Vendor Accountability: Laws should mandate clear contract terms for data collection, usage, and retention, ensuring that vendors comply with strict privacy-first policies.
Third-Party Data Sharing Transparency: Schools and vendors must provide clear disclosures about what student data is shared with external service providers.
Parental and Student Rights: Privacy laws must ensure parental consent and student access to their own records, including opt-out provisions for non-essential data collection.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Emerging Technologies: NSDPA supports policy development to regulate AI-driven student profiling and automated decision-making systems in education.
National Breach Notification Standards: Schools and vendors must be required to report student data breaches within strict timeframes, ensuring timely response and mitigation.
Engagement with Legislative & Regulatory Bodies
NSDPA collaborates with federal and state lawmakers, education agencies, and regulatory organizations to provide ongoing guidance on student data privacy issues. Our engagement includes:
Testifying before Congress & state legislatures: NSDPA provides expert testimony on student data privacy challenges and proposed legislation.
Consulting with education policy agencies: NSDPA works with the U.S. Department of Education, state education boards, and school districts to improve compliance frameworks.
Publishing white papers & research reports: NSDPA develops policy papers and legal briefs that help lawmakers understand emerging privacy threats and best practices.
Advising on model privacy legislation: NSDPA helps draft privacy laws and implementation guidelines that support schools, vendors, and parents.
Influence on Recent Legislative Efforts
NSDPA’s advocacy has directly influenced student privacy protections at both the state and federal levels. Recent contributions include:
Providing testimony in support of FERPA modernization efforts to improve vendor compliance and breach reporting.
Advising states like California, Illinois, and New York on expanding student privacy laws to regulate EdTech data collection.
Advocating for a national standard for student data breach notifications, requiring vendors to report incidents within 72 hours.
Supporting federal proposals such as COPPA 2.0, which aims to expand privacy protections for students aged 13–16.
How Schools & Vendors Can Engage with NSDPA’s Policy Efforts
Schools, districts, and vendors can play a vital role in shaping student privacy laws by engaging with NSDPA’s policy initiatives. We encourage stakeholders to:
Join NSDPA’s Legislative Advocacy Groups to contribute insights on privacy challenges and compliance strategies.
Participate in policy briefings and public comment sessions on student data privacy laws.
Provide feedback on state and federal legislative proposals affecting school districts and EdTech vendors.
Engage in public advocacy campaigns to promote stronger student data privacy protections.
Shaping the Future of Student Data Privacy Policy
As digital learning continues to expand, privacy laws must evolve to keep pace with new technologies, cybersecurity threats, and data governance challenges. NSDPA remains committed to advising lawmakers, providing expert testimony, and advocating for policies that prioritize student data protection.
Get Involved in NSDPA’s Advocacy Efforts
Protecting student data requires a collective effort from schools, vendors, policymakers, and legal experts. By participating in NSDPA’s legislative initiatives, you can help shape the future of student data privacy laws and ensure that strong protections remain in place for all students.
Join NSDPA Today! Get involved in policy advocacy, legislative discussions, and expert testimony initiatives by signing up for NSDPA’s policy working groups and privacy briefings.
Discover NSDPA
Our Vision and Mission
Data Privacy Resources
01
Data Privacy Resources
Access a wealth of resources designed to help you implement best practices in data privacy.
01
Training and Workshops
02
Training and Workshops
Participate in our training programs and workshops to stay updated on the latest in data privacy.
02
Partnerships
03
Partnerships
We collaborate with various organizations to enhance data privacy standards in education.
03
Get Involved
04
Get Involved
Learn how you can become a part of our mission to promote student data privacy.
