Data is a necessary component for an effective education. It empowers parents and children as they chart their educational journey. Data supports teachers as they guide students forward in their courses. And it drives personalized learning. But in order to realize the benefits of data, users—students, parents, teachers, and administrators—must be able to trust how it’s being used.

States have the opportunity—and responsibility—to design strong data protection policies for their students. They are charged with creating a secure, private environment for students, while allowing personalized-learning innovations to flourish.

As policy makers tackle data protections, there are several key points that should be kept in mind: why the data is collected, what it’s being used for, who has access to it, and for how long.

Digital Learning Now and ExcelinEd are looking at data privacy through a wide-angle lens, ensuring all aspects are covered—federal policy, state policy, district guidelines, and individual teacher practices—all the way down to the most important part of an education system: the individual student.