With the help of Andy and Julie Liddell at the EdTech Law Center, some parents around the country have begun filing lawsuits against Curriculum Associates, the company that produces the i-Ready learning platform used in many schools.
According to the complaints filed in these lawsuits, parents allege that the company’s business model allows for the collection of large amounts of student data through its educational technology platforms. The lawsuits further claim that some of this information may be shared with third-party companies for various commercial purposes and used to develop detailed profiles of students intended to predict behavior or performance.
Parents involved in the lawsuits say they did not knowingly consent to this level of data collection and believe these practices may violate state and federal student privacy protections.
Sending children to public school is a legal right, and many parents believe their children should not have to expose personal information to commercial data collection practices in order to receive an education.
Parents who want to learn more about these legal efforts can contact the EdTech Law Center at edtech.law to discuss concerns about educational technology platforms used in their child’s school.
Some parents and advocates argue that school administrators have not fully addressed the privacy implications of modern educational technology. They also point to changes in federal interpretation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) over the past decade, which they believe expanded the ability of vendors to access student data through school contracts.
In New Hampshire, voters adopted a constitutional amendment affirming the right to privacy. Some parents believe that student data practices connected to educational technology should be reviewed in light of that amendment.
The video referenced here discusses the i-Ready platform, which is used in some New Hampshire school districts, including: (Scrolling 2 Death on facebook)
• Hudson School District (SAU 81) – grades K–5 reading and math
• Barrington School District (SAU 74) – district assessment tool
• Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District (SAU 63) – benchmark assessment
• SAU 26 (Hanover/Dresden area) – reading and math diagnostic program
Parents concerned about student data privacy may want to ask their school districts what information is collected by educational technology vendors, how it is stored, and whether it is shared with third parties.
Educational technology companies vary widely in their practices, so parents are encouraged to review their district’s data privacy agreements and ask questions about how student information is protected.
