Raytown Quality Schools Renews National Privacy Designation
The CoSN TLE Seal is a mark of distinction. It is awarded to those school systems that are able to implement specific privacy requirements and demonstrate, through policies and practices, that they have implemented a holistic program to protect students’ personal information. Recipients of the TLE Seal are required to commit to continuously improving their privacy program, and must demonstrate that commitment by recertifying every 2 years.
In 2016, out of nearly 90 school district applicants nationwide, the District was one of seven to earn the TLE Seal. In 2018, the District remained one of only two districts from around the Kansas City metro, and one of only 16 districts in the nation to earn the TLE Seal. Now, in 2021, the District is the only district in the state of Missouri and one of only 17 districts nationwide to earn the TLE Seal.
“Data privacy is a priority at Raytown Quality Schools,” Director of Instructional Technology Melissa Tebbenkamp said. “Over the past several years we have developed policies, procedures and practices to ensure the security of all of our data. It is an honor to be recognized for this effort.”
Developed for all K-12 schools nationwide, the TLE Seal was formed through the input from 28 school system leaders, as well as CoSN and lead partners: AASA, The School Superintendents Association; the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO); and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Their collective expertise and experiences pinpointed the steps schools should take— beyond regulatory compliance—to help ensure student data privacy and security. The districts were chosen by CoSN for demonstrating effective practices in each of the following areas:
- Leadership, including managing and collaborating with stakeholders regarding the use and governance of student data to inform instruction.
- Business, including establishing acquisition vetting processes and contracts that, at minimum, address applicable compliance with laws while supporting innovation.
- Data Security, including performing regular audits of data privacy and security practices and publicly detailing these measures.
- Professional Development, including requiring school staff to conduct privacy and security training and offering related resources to all stakeholders in the community.
- Classroom, including implementing educational procedures and processes to ensure transparency while advancing curricular goals.
CoSN is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. The mission of CoSN is to empower educational leaders to leverage technology to realize engaging learning environments.
In addition to the TLE Seal, the Raytown School District is a Common Sense Digital Citizen Certified District for preparing its students to use the immense power of digital media to explore, create, connect, and learn.
To learn more about the TLE Seal, please visit trustedlearning.org.