State school board passes student privacy policy in response to common core standards
The Alabama Board of Education has adopted a policy that board members said is intended to assure parents and others that protecting students’ privacy is a top priority.
The 5-2 vote came Thursday after state officials received criticism that new common core standards could make student records and other private information available to the public.
State schools Superintendent Tommy Bice said the new policy is intended to relieve the concerns of parents that their private information will be disclosed. The policy says student information will be stored in a private location and only those who need the data to perform their jobs will have access to it.
“I am glad we were able to address concerns about privacy today,” Bice said.
Bice said he understands why the policy worries some parents.
“We want the same things they want. We want to protect the privacy o