Tennessee Department of Education Memorandum of Understanding- School Climate Surveys
Yes, Our School Board Members Have The Authority To Enact An Opt-In Policy To Survey Children
On September 15, 2022, I addressed the school board in regard to the data mining of public school children via surveys. This is the transcript.
It is my goal to bring to your attention a subject that is not often thought about or discussed within our public schools. That topic is the data mining of public-school children via surveys. I want to make it clear that today I am not speaking out against well-being surveys, but I am asking that this new school board proactively address the data mining of children. In a few weeks, children across our county will partake in a student well-being survey administered in schools via Panorama. Panorama contracts state that they do not sell children’s data while stating that any data that enters their systems belongs to them. We must ask ourselves, “is our children’s sensitive data truly safe and protected?” and “who has access to student data?” A simple Google search will bring story after story about hackers hacking public school systems and taking student and employee data. I do not believe that Panorama or our school district is immune to hackers.
While our school district does follow PPRA laws, it is beneficial to take further steps to ensure children’s data is protected. Currently, our schools utilize opt out forms that give parents the choice to opt their children out of surveys. If an opt out form is not turned in, the school assumes the parent is ok with their child being surveyed. The best way to protect children’s data is to require opt-in forms for student well-being surveys, school climate surveys or any type of surveys.
Thankfully TDOE’s Memorandum of Understanding for school climate surveys allow local school boards to put policies in place that require opt ins. TDOE already provides the resources including a permission slip sample to enact opt ins for surveys. Opting into surveys would require a signed permission slip be turned in before a child takes a survey in school. There are benefits to opt in forms over opt out forms. First, opt in forms are transparent and give parents the choice to allow schools to survey children or not. Second, opt in forms could yield more reliable data regarding school climate.
A recent poll commissioned by the non-profit organization Parents Defending Education states that 77% of parents support parental permission before survey administration in schools. Today I ask the school board to create or update policies that will ensure opt ins for in school surveys. School board, let the parents know that you value transparency and the protection of our children’s sensitive data by enacting an opt in policy for student surveys. Thank you.