Delaware Senator David Sokola introduced Senate Bill 79 on May 1st. This bill would force school districts and the Delaware Department of Education to effectively govern the use of student data in conjunction with existing state and federal law. I would have thought most of this was part of state law already. Certainly, federal FERPA law already trumps state law, and even they have allowed student data and information to get out to contracted vendors for “educational benefit”.
The Season Of Myths 
HELLO??? Is he kidding?? The train has left the station. FERPA rights were relaxed without fanfare about 4 years ago. The schools and state ALREADY brokered the deal with the feds as far as identifiable information. Why does he think he brought us SBA? He can’t really submit this with a straight face, and think he’s being valiant and protective of our kids’ and family’s data? Oh, and the right to inspect and submit an amendment? FERPA did leave that alone.
Is this mike on???? Has the data mining not been my primary contention the whole time? Ain’t nobody shutting down the data, unless we as PARENTS don’t give it! Sure…go ahead and “effectively govern the use of student data in conjunction with state and federal law……” Why Kevin, this could be code for, “establish a whole new department in Dover”….because we are a matched data state—one # identifies your child as for the State, and then another # is assigned by the feds, and two become one. The Feds wink and say “oh no we didn’t interfere with State’s rights in education”, and the States breathe a sigh of relief using the cover, “your child has a state #”, and it’s confidential. Well confidential isn’t anonymous, and the threshold then for a “third party interest in education” is about as restrictive as the Book of the Month Club.
But this is just one facet. Eschool, testing, etc..,can all be revealed–and the cherry on the top—your child’s health records will also interface with the educational record, because everybody was in such a hurry to get them on-line too!! Criminee, Hitler looks like an amateur now huh?
This bill is window dressing. Rhetoric. One of the finest pieces of obfuslegislation to be written this year.
Wanna good laugh now? Check out Jacques at HB128. Wanting to raise the amount of political contributions permitted. He’s going to need it ! 🙂
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This is exactly why I made such a big fuss over that Public Consulting Group last summer. The amount of data they could potentially receive on children with disabilities is astounding. I can’t wait to hear the discussion on this legislation!
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Data collection should be educationally-related only and kept within the school district (I was told by an educator that it is.) After a certain number of years, it should be destroyed. President Obama waved his magic wand and rendered FERPA powerless and meaningless. The massive data collection is another reason to get rid of Common Core.
Thank you for your good work.
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Kevin, you missed your chance to hear this bill in committee yesterday. It was discussed in the Senate Education Committee with AG Matt Denn to make the introductions – it is his legislation. Microsoft was represented as on board but there was pushback from ‘operators’ (google, facebook, Verizon etc.) who have formed a coalition and made a last minute protest yesterday of several points in the language IOW they want to cover their asses and not be found liable if data is sneaking/leaking out on their watch.
Because of this and both the DDOE and SBoE’s request to delay the release of the bill (no doubt in response to the coalition lobbying), Sokola tabled action on the bill until next week.
I would have liked to have had someone speak up with the point of view of parents as Kevin and Joanne made but no one was there to do so. No one spoke besides the lobbyists and the DSEA who said they were ok with the bill.
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