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data privacy

Getting involved with shaping the future of the NDPA

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Last week, we opened the second round of Community Review for an eventual version 2.3 of the National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA). The Community Review is open to A4L members to provide feedback on the proposed changes and will remain open until September 15, 2026. After this date, the NDPA Project Team will review the feedback received and address each item. Once this review is complete, there may be a few minor updates, but ultimately, we anticipate finalizing NDPA v2.3 sometime in October at which point it will be available for states around the country to adopt.

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Take notice: How FERPA’s annual notification requirements interact with the NDPA

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Most districts around the country are in back-to-school mode, which often includes sending parents various notices regarding school policies. Some of these relate to federal privacy laws like FERPA, which is important to note for those schools using the National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA). The NDPA is based on using FERPA’s school official exception, which includes a requirement that schools must provide parents annually with a notice of their FERPA rights. This is such an important requirement that it is explicitly called in section 3.2 of NDPA v2.2.

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Vendors Leading the Way: How SDPC Members Are Championing Student Data Privacy

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When people think about student data privacy, the conversation often centers on schools, districts, and state agencies working to protect students. But some of the most committed champions of student data privacy are the vendors who build the tools students and teachers use every day. These companies, many of them quietly doing exceptional work, have made privacy a core value, not an afterthought.

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COMMUNITY REVIEW: National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA) v2.3

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On March 25, 2026, the North American Privacy Leadership Group (NA-P-LG) approved the National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA) v2.3 for A4L Community Review. Community Review will be open from Tuesday, April 7 until Tuesday, May 5, 2026 (inclusive). All A4L Community Members are encouraged to participate in the Community Review. […]

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Balancing Innovation and Privacy: Addressing the Challenges of Vetting EdTech Tools for Schools

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When I was a child in school, educational technology (edtech) involved either catching cholera on the Oregon trail or answering geography questions to catch Carmen Sandiego, but technology changes quickly. Today, parents, students, and teachers have access to hundreds of edtech tools that help facilitate communication with parents, provide quicker and more personalized feedback to students, and assist teachers in discovering data-driven insights into what their students really need.

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A Call To Action for Education Technology Stakeholders

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The time has come for all stakeholders to unite and tackle the pressing security challenges in the Educational Technology (EdTech) sector. Data breaches are escalating in both frequency and severity, leaving student information vulnerable. A lack of coordination across the marketplace, driven by inconsistent controls and fragmented legal requirements, has only exacerbated the problem. However, there is hope. Through collaboration and a shared commitment to securing the educational ecosystem, we can create a safer environment for all EdTech products and services. Adopting and consistently adhering to standardized controls is essential. Many recent data breaches may have been avoided entirely if these measures had been in place.

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