Did anyone read this regarding data collection in schools? Thoughts?

[ktog29]

http://news.yahoo.co...=Reuters&.cf6=/

[Arcadia]

I don't like the part about social security numbers being in the database. And why would the database have SSN numbers of the kids? The rest I am not as freak out about coming from a country that tracks my academic performance by a national identity number from 3rd grade. However the data is only held by the govt ministries and they are pretty paranoid about letting private sector have the data because of brain drain issues.

[Forget-Me-Not]

They probably have SSN because they're using it to track data at the district level. My local district does this and when I enrolled my oldest in K, I was told that I "had" to fork it over. Yeah, not so fast. I did some research, contacted the superintendent and the State Board of Ed. Funny thing, I didn't "have to" after all (it's illegal for them to require it). We homeschool now, but I don't give my kids SSN out and I'd really scream my head off about surrendering them for this project.

[Sahamamama]

If this report is at all accurate, this type of data collecting on students is such an outrage! What a violation of privacy and basic human rights. One more way for Bill Gates to control the world.

[Arcadia]

They probably have SSN because they're using it to track data at the district level. My local district does this and when I enrolled my oldest in K, I was told that I "had" to fork it over.

 

 

My school district issued each child with a student id. In fact the school district is not allowed to ask if the child is legally in the country so they are not allowed to ask for SSN or ITIN.

[Harriet Vane]

Horrified.

[lynn]

I don't like the part about social security numbers being in the database. And why would the database have SSN numbers of the kids? The rest I am not as freak out about coming from a country that tracks my academic performance by a national identity number from 3rd grade. However the data is only held by the govt ministries and they are pretty paranoid about letting private sector have the data because of brain drain issues.

 

 

The kids school id number have been their ss#'s for years. you can't register in ps without a ss card or atleast not where I have lived.

[creekland]

My school district issued each child with a student id.

 

Our school assigns a Student ID # too. The rest of it doesn't bug me at all. In fact, I'm leaning toward thinking it's a good idea. Sharing SSNs shouldn't be an option though. There's no reason schools can't assign an ID used solely for education.

[creekland]

The kids school id number have been their ss#'s for years. you can't register in ps without a ss card or atleast not where I have lived.

 

Not true here. Hasn't been true for years. It might depend upon the state.

[In The Great White North]

How long til colleges are considered to have a "legitimate educational interest" in the data and it becomes fair game in the application process? So, instead of the last four years "counting", the colleges will have access to all 13 years? It's not hard to imagine kindergarten comments ("Johnny doesn't play well with others") or less-than-politically correct comments from grade schoolers being held against them when admissions to many schools is already fairly arbitrary.

 

And what will stop it from being available to prospective employers?

 

They cannot guarantee the security of the data, especially when there will be millions of people with access to it. The security notice from the Pearson version confirms that. Filing cabinets all over the country may not be locked, but at least all the eggs aren't in one basket!

[TechWife]

I don't think that they should be able to sell the information.

 

Another issue that concerns me is the idea that technology can fix everything. Coming soon: "Educating kids? There's an app for that!"

 

"Larry Berger, an executive at Amplify Education, says the data could be mined to develop "early warning systems." Perhaps it will turn out, for instance, that most high school dropouts began to struggle with math at age 8. If so, all future 8-year-olds fitting that pattern could be identified and given extra help...

Companies with access to the database will also be able to identify struggling teachers and pinpoint which concepts their students are failing to master...

 

 

Though he is bullish on the sector, Michael Moe, the chief investment officer at GSV Capital, cautions that there is as yet no proof the new technology will produce "game-changing outcomes" for students - or, for that matter, sterling profits for investors.

Others are more skeptical still.

'The hype in the tech press is that education is an engineering problem that can be fixed by technology,' said Frank Catalano of Intrinsic Strategy, a consulting firm focused on education and technology. 'To my mind, that's a very naive and destructive view.' "

[zoobie]

 

 

 

The kids school id number have been their ss#'s for years. you can't register in ps without a ss card or atleast not where I have lived.

 

Based on the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, it is legal for the schools to ask for a SSN but illegal for them to refuse enrollment if you decline to provide it. If the child's SSN is in some database, it is because the parent/guardian gave it to the school.

[Lisbeth]

I guess they can make good on "permanent record" threats. So glad my kids are not in this system!

[LostSurprise]

No SS# needed here.

 

We have a slightly different kerfuffle. The state passed a law mandating that all districts use the same program for holding student data, so in the future it can create a state-wide database. When it took bids a local company was pushed out of business and an out-of-state company won the bid. Now there's a big fuss about who has our data...but its all based on capitalism, not privacy concerns. :glare:

[applethyme]

I think this is a terrible invasion of privacy. I also worry that this information will follow children through their lives. There are so many factors that affect learning and school performance that just can't be captured by a computer program. I would hate for children to be labeled as a poor learner or learning disabled when really their home life is a mess or something else was going on in their life. I can think of a couple of people I went to high school with that everyone though would not do well due to low grade and behavior issues but have turned out to be highly successful.

[Nscribe]

This would all be so much easier if they would just go ahead in implant the tracking chips at birth. Shucks, then they could have health data too. :ack2:

[Arcadia]

And what will stop it from being available to prospective employers?

 

Back home, my govt has my educational data including extra-curriculars from 3rd grade onwards. It is being used for govt and miltrary employment. I get cold calls from the army, air force and navy offering me an officer post based on the data they have. I get cold calls from govt departments too. After asking around, all the girls with similar academic and extra-curricular profiles were cold called.

However people can still apply for the jobs I was cold called on and get in.

 

ETA:

I was tag as an underperformer/underachiever. Somehow it did not affect university entry or job prospects. I don't know who is tag in my classes so I won't know if there is a negative impact for anyone.

[MeghanL]

But wait! Haven't we all seen how much better technology has made all bureaucracy? And learning disabilities? If your child isn't listed as having one in the database, they simply don't have one. All education problems solved! After all, the computer is NEVER wrong.

Oh, and how teachers and principals have been inflating test scores, they won't get caught quite as easily with only one source, so this will create huge rises in standardized testing. Our kids are so much smarter already.

And, haven't we seen how Facebook and Netflix always know exactly what ads and movies we need to see next using these exact same algorithms? They've never been wrong! Right, right????

[Forget-Me-Not]

 

 

My school district issued each child with a student id. In fact the school district is not allowed to ask if the child is legally in the country so they are not allowed to ask for SSN or ITIN.

Yes, that's what my district SHOULD be doing, but they aren't.

 

 

 

 

 

The kids school id number have been their ss#'s for years. you can't register in ps without a ss card or atleast not where I have lived.

See the quote below--

 

 

 

 

Based on the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, it is legal for the schools to ask for a SSN but illegal for them to refuse enrollment if you decline to provide it. If the child's SSN is in some database, it is because the parent/guardian gave it to the school.

 

Yep. This. The child isn't even legally required to HAVE a SSN until they want to seek employment (though most parents opt to get it for tax reasons), and additionally the public schools cannot deny education to kids who aren't here legally. They cannot require a SSN for enrollment and if they threaten said enrollment over a SSN (as my district does) they are in violation of federal law. As I understand it, the exceptions may be that they can require it for the free/reduced lunch program or if the child will have an IEP on file.