Aspen Policy Academy

• Alija Blackwell

Today, more students are online than ever before, with digital footprints being created for them as early as the prenatal stage of their lives. Without comprehensive student data protections, educational technology increasingly exposes students to data mining practices that could limit their access to future opportunities. School-issued device monitoring softwares and edtech data collection practices disproportionately impact students of color and students from low-income communities. To redress these harms, this project recommends a cross-sector plan in New Mexico for building more comprehensive student data protections. This includes the creation of a Student Data Protection Office in New Mexico that would enforce student data protection agreements that better protect student privacy and lead collective capacity building efforts to support students and schools; the establishment of industry standards for edtech developers; and the funding of impact assessment of edtech tools by the U.S. Department of Education.

Click right to view various resources for protecting the digital rights of students, including a sample student data protection agreement and a website with capacity-building materials for students, caregivers, and schools.