In today’s digital-first education environment, data is one of a school’s most valuable assets, and also one of its biggest vulnerabilities. With cyber threats evolving and data volumes growing exponentially – ensuring security, accuracy, and accessibility is no longer optional – it’s essential. Schools should adopt best practices and the right tools, technologies, and policies to safeguard student information, prevent breaches, and maintain compliance.
This article explores the essential strategies every school should implement to protect its data, from proactive cybersecurity measures to advanced compliance tools that help schools stay ahead of risks and threats.
Comprehensive data governance
Well-established data governance is a cornerstone for the effective management of student information. By implementing the latest data governance practices, schools can comply with regulations, prevent data breaches, and maintain the accuracy and integrity of student information, ultimately building trust among stakeholders and protecting student privacy.
When considering data management strategies, schools should evaluate three key approaches.
- On-premise storage
- Cloud-based solutions
- Hybrid cloud storage
Each option offers distinct advantages and challenges, and the right choice depends on a school’s goals, existing infrastructure, security requirements, accessibility, scalability, and compliance needs.
A cloud-first strategy is often the most secure and scalable option, as it provides advanced security measures such as conditional access, automated backups, built-in encryption, and zero-trust architecture. Cloud solutions also eliminate the burden of hardware maintenance and security patching, which can be complex for schools with limited IT resources.
On the other hand, on-premise storage offers greater control over sensitive data, but it requires significant technical expertise to implement strong security measures such as encryption at rest and advanced access controls. Many schools lack the necessary infrastructure and licensing to fully secure on-premise servers, increasing the risk of data breaches or hardware failures.
A hybrid cloud approach provides a middle ground, allowing schools to store sensitive data locally while leveraging cloud redundancy for backup and disaster recovery. This can be beneficial for schools that require fast local access to critical files while maintaining the security and scalability of cloud-based services.
Ultimately, the best approach depends on a school’s risk tolerance, IT capabilities, and regulatory requirements. Schools should carefully evaluate their data protection needs to determine the most effective strategy for safeguarding student information.
Prioritising user experience
Many schools fail to acknowledge the importance of prioritising the user experience in data management for different stakeholders:
Teachers
A user experience designed with the needs of teachers in mind will increase the staff’s day-to-day efficiency and morale. But it will also reduce the chance of a problem commonly seen in schools, where staff introduce their own systems to store both staff and student data, outside of the view, and control, of the school. Through thorough consideration of the teacher’s need for data throughout the school day, schools will be able to manage and store that information safely and more efficiently.
Parents
Schools also collect significant amounts of information from parents, so it is critical that this information is collected in a secure and simple manner. By considering the parent’s user experience of this data input, schools immediately reduce the need for parents to supply duplicate information. Instead of manual data flows and duplicate data that negatively impact the security and quality of data, parents are able to experience a single source of truth that is easily accessible to them.
Enhancing parent support
Parents play a crucial role in the accessing and sharing of student information. Because of this, offering them the necessary assistance and guidance regarding information management is imperative. Schools should establish clear channels of communication and readily accessible resources to address any queries or concerns parents may have regarding student information systems. This support should encompass assistance navigating the platforms, understanding data privacy policies, and accessing relevant information about their child’s academic progress and school activities.
Minimising data collection and retention
Minimising data collection and retention is an effective method of safeguarding student privacy and complying with evolving regulations, especially in light of the ever-evolving privacy laws. It is recommended that schools adopt the principle of keeping the least data required and disposing of what is unnecessary. By limiting the collection and retention of student data to only what is essential for educational purposes, schools can reduce their exposure to potential risks associated with data breaches and unauthorised data access, and ensure compliance with privacy laws.
Implementing data classification
While minimising data collection and retention is essential, schools should also implement a robust data classification strategy to safeguard student information. By categorising data based on its importance, sensitivity, and regulatory requirements, schools can make informed decisions about the systems and security measures needed to protect it.
For example, a school could apply custom labels to highly sensitive data, such as Counselling Records, and enforce additional security controls. This could include:
– Disabling sharing, download, and print options to prevent unauthorised distribution.
– Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on each access attempt for enhanced security.
– Restricting access to authorised personnel only, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations.
This approach ensures that each data type receives the appropriate level of protection and allows schools to tailor their data management strategies to specific needs. Whether it’s student records, financial information, or administrative documents, effective data classification helps secure student information throughout its lifecycle, mitigating potential breaches and compliance risks.
Understanding digital supply chain risks
While it is often overlooked, supply chain cybersecurity plays a significant role in safeguarding sensitive data within a school. With third-party vendors accessing a school’s data every day, the potential impact of a breach should be clearly understood. Many schools lack adequate oversight and control over their supply chain, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats and data breaches.
Schools should prioritise supply chain cybersecurity and establish clear protocols with vendors to mitigate these risks. Developing a shared responsibility model outlines the responsibilities of both schools and vendors, ensuring comprehensive security measures are in place. Additionally, verifying vendor accreditations, such as ISO27001 or PCI-DSS, and conducting cybersecurity risk assessments on vendors can help assess and manage potential risks.
Utilising data compliance tools
It’s important to establish robust policies and procedures regarding data handling and access. To assess adherence to these policies, schools can leverage various tools and technologies designed for monitoring and auditing data usage, access controls, and system configurations.
The most effective compliance management tools include:
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Solutions are designed to monitor, detect, and block the unauthorised transmission of sensitive data across networks, endpoints, and cloud applications, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems, that collect and analyse security event data to detect and respond to security threats and policy violations in real time.
Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Platforms, that centralise risk management, policy management, and audit processes, streamlining compliance efforts.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) Systems, that manage user access, provisioning, and activity monitoring to enforce access policies. Vulnerability Management Software scans IT infrastructure for vulnerabilities and prioritises remediation efforts to maintain compliance with security policies.
Ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability
Finally, schools should adopt a culture of safe practices around data, characterised by confidentiality, integrity and accessibility. This should extend to the design, implementation, and usage of any system that stores, processes, or retrieves data.
Confidentiality ensures that sensitive student data is accessed by authorised personnel only, safeguarding against unauthorised disclosure and privacy breaches.
Integrity ensures that student information remains accurate and reliable, free from unauthorised alterations or tampering throughout its lifecycle.
Availability ensures that only authorised users can access student data when needed, promoting a supervised and managed approach to data. All student information should be access controlled, and only those users whose role relies on certain data should have access to it.
Expert data management
Effective student information management requires a holistic approach, well-established priorities and clearly defined protocols. By adopting these best practices and leveraging the latest technology, schools can safeguard student data, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver a superior educational experience.
NetStrategy understands the worry associated with IT and cybersecurity. As specialists in the industry, we provide schools with everything they need to thrive. Our expertise includes comprehensive ICT reviews and audits, IT risk management services, and professional advice and support focussed on student data management systems and best practices. If you are looking for advice on a data management solution, or for any other IT or cybersecurity-related issue, contact the NetStrategy team today.
