BCPS receives national award for data privacy excellence

Burke County Public Schools (BCPS) has achieved a significant milestone for its commitment to student data privacy by earning national recognition from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN).

The district was awarded the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Mini Seal in Leadership and Classroom practices for implementing rigorous privacy policies and procedures that help protect student information.

Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, commended BCPS for the prestigious honor.

“Congratulations to Burke County Public Schools for earning the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Mini Seals in the practice areas of Leadership and Classroom. This achievement is a testament to their dedication to safeguarding student data privacy,” Krueger said. “It also highlights the effectiveness of the partnership between CoSN and the North Carolina Department of Instruction in supporting student data privacy efforts across the state. We are proud to see such impactful progress and commitment to protecting student information.”

The TLE Seal program is the only privacy framework designed specifically for school systems. The program requires school systems to have implemented high standards for protecting student data privacy across five core practice areas: Leadership, Business, Data Security, Professional Development and Classroom.

The technology team members listed on the award are Melanie Honeycutt, Danny Houser, Amanda Washburn, Travis Childers, and Erin Wolfhope.

“We are incredibly honored to receive the Trusted Learning Environment Mini Seals in Leadership and Classroom practices. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff members who continuously strive to uphold the highest standards in student data privacy,” Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan said. “We will continue to prioritize the safety and security of our students, knowing that it is essential to their success both in and out of the classroom.”

Earning the TLE Seal requires that school systems have taken measurable steps to implement, maintain, and improve organization-wide student data privacy practices. All TLE Seal recipients are required to demonstrate that improvement through a reapplication process every two years.

In addition to this recognition, BCPS has recently implemented a new Sharp printer system aimed at enhancing data security and reducing costs.

The system, which utilizes staff ID badges for printing, is expected to save the district approximately $200,000 per year. The system ensures student information is handled more securely by requiring staff members to scan their badges before printing. The system also offers a digital saving option which reduces paper waste.

Honeycutt, chief information officer for BCPS who will retire in October after over 30 years of service, highlighted the importance of these measures in light of past challenges with cybersecurity.

“After facing the challenges of a ransomware attack, followed by the onset of COVID-19 and school closures, we realized just how crucial it was to protect our network, data, staff, and students online. In the years leading up to these events, we conducted multiple network assessments and took immediate action on critical issues,” Honeycutt said.

In March 2020, BCPS experienced a ransomware cyberattack, which emphasized the need for strong data protection measures. Although the attack had significant effects, the district decided against paying the ransom and opted to rebuild its system, which further demonstrates the district’s dedication to security and resilience.