Data Privacy & Security – Education Law 2d

In early 2020, The New York State Department of Education adopted a new law focused on the privacy and security of student and staff personally identifiable information (PII).

The Educational Law Section 2d, known amongst NY schools as Education Law 2d, provides “guidance to educational agencies and their third-party contractors on ways to strengthen data privacy and security to protect student data and annual professional performance review data.”

Family Bill of Rights

The Potsdam Central School District is committed to ensuring the confidentiality of student data while enabling that information to be used appropriately to improve student outcomes.  

1. A student’s personally identifiable information (PII) cannot be sold or released for any commercial purpose. PII, as defined by Education Law § 2-d and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), includes direct identifiers such as a student’s name or identification number, parent’s name, or address; and indirect identifiers such as a student’s date of birth, which when linked to or combined with other information can be used to distinguish or trace a student’s identity. 
2. The right to inspect and review the complete contents of the student’s education record stored or maintained by an educational agency.
3. State and federal laws, 3 such as NYS Education Law §2-d and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, that protect the confidentiality of a student’s PII, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices, including but not limited to, encryption, firewalls, and password protection, must be in place when data is stored or transferred.
4. A complete list of all student data elements collected by Potsdam Central School District is available for public review by writing to:

Data Protection Officer
Potsdam Central School District
29 Leroy Street
Potsdam, NY 13676

5. The right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of student data addressed. Complaints may be submitted to the Data Protection Officer by email to Mark Bennett, by telephone at (315) 265-2000 ext. 36733, by using the Reporting Form below, or by mail to:

Data Protection Officer
Potsdam Central School District
29 Leroy Street
Potsdam, NY 13676

6. To be notified in accordance with applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of their student’s PII occurs.
7. Educational agency workers that handle PII will receive training on applicable state and federal laws, policies, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices that protect PII.
8. Educational agency contracts with vendors that receive PII will address statutory and regulatory data privacy and security requirements.

Reporting Form

Report Possible Breaches and/or Unauthorized Disclosures of Student Data (via Google Forms)