May 30, 2023 - Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement applauding the Department of Education for protecting the privacy of students by updating FERPA regulations to provide best practice guidance to school districts regarding contracting with ed-tech vendors:

“I’m pleased the Department of Education listened to my call to protect students’ data from big tech companies by updating FERPA regulations to help school districts negotiate with ed-tech vendors. Educators shouldn’t need to choose between students’ learning and their privacy. That’s why I’ll keep pressing the Department of Education to provide strong, comprehensive model contracts to help level the playing field between big tech companies and the under-resourced school administrators who must negotiate with them.”

In March, Wyden sent a letter urging the Education Department to develop and publish model contracts and terms of service which school districts can use when negotiating with ed-tech companies. These contracts can include terms to protect student privacy, require data security, and prevent ed-tech companies from enriching themselves using student data.
Source: Senator Ron Wyden