Student Personal Data Mining: Is Data Mining by a NGO Happening in Your School District?

Student Personal Data Mining: It’s Happening in Connecticut. Is Data Mining by a NGO Happening in Your School District? » Missouri Education Watchdog:

Student Personal Data Mining: It’s Happening in Connecticut. Is Data Mining by a NGO Happening in Your School District?

Should CCER change its description of its purpose? Should it read ‘utilize MOUs with individual school districts to data mine student’s personal data without parental knowledge and/or consent?’

 A story is emerging from Connecticut about a private education reform organization signing a MOU with an individual school district to data mine students for non-governmental organizations to use for product development and allow other organizations to access.  From The Connecticut Education Association and  Facts Speak for Themselves: Agreement Outlines Unique Student Data Required:

“CCER should apologize to the students and parents of Hamden for obtaining specific student information without their knowledge or approval,” said CEA’s Executive Director Mark Waxenberg. “CCER should also assure all Connecticut parents that in the future CCER will not attempt to gain access to and ownership of student records and information without parental knowledge and consent.”

In response to the Connecticut Council for Education Reform’s (CCER) statement this afternoon, Waxenberg offered the following facts and released the Memorandum of Understanding between Hamden and CCER regarding the release of student data.

“In order to underscore our earlier news release regarding the Hamden School District disclosing identifiable student data to CCER—without the knowledge of parents or students—we are sharing with the media the Memorandum of Understanding that details specific student data CCER requested from Hamden.

CCER requested, and in many cases mandated that it receive individual and specific student information across various files and categories beginning with an identifying number, birthday, student characteristics, demographic information, student types, and enrollment information, including the names and dates of schools students attended.

CCER specifically requested: (See Memo Part 2: Excel Sheet: Student Demographics 2013-2014, p. 16 )

• Unique student identifiers (Mandatory)Student Personal Data Mining: It’s Happening in Connecticut. Is Data Mining by a NGO Happening in Your School District? » Missouri Education Watchdog: