The U.S. Department of Education announced March 28 that it has launched a committee to strengthen cybersecurity practices in K-12 schools.
The “Government Coordinating Council,” comprised of representatives from federal agencies, state departments of education, educational technology leaders, superintendents and principals, hosts cybersecurity education activities, recommends policies and helps schools respond and recover from cybersecurity threats and attacks, according to the department. do.
The committee is part of the federal response to cybersecurity issues in K-12 schools. Schools have become a prime target for cybercrime, and for years, educational institutions have advocated for additional federal resources. Help schools strengthen network security.
cyber attack It is expensive, not only financially but also academically. According to a 2022 Government Accountability Office report, lost learning time after a cyberattack can range from three days to three weeks, and attack recovery time can range from two to nine months.. School districts lose between $50,000 and $1 million per cyberattack, according to the report.
“Small, rural, and even mid- to large-sized districts are struggling with staffing shortages and a lack of expertise to deal with cybersecurity,” said Keith Krueger, a council member and CEO of the nonprofit Consortium for School Networking, a member of the council. .” he said. An organization for local education technology leaders. “There are many opportunities for the federal government to provide value, but it can be overwhelming. No one has time to research everything. [federal] “This is an organization that could potentially help.”
Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate director of advocacy and governance at the Association of School Superintendents (AASA), said it's a good sign that schools are coming to the table as part of the conversation about broader cybersecurity approaches. AASA named two superintendents to serve on the committee: Heather Perry of Gorham Schools in Maine and Gustavo Balderas of Beaverton Schools in Oregon.
“The most important thing I’m looking for is real dialogue that doesn’t just provide a forum for feedback, but actually makes the feedback actionable,” said Ellerson Ng.
CoSN, AASA along with other The committee's education group includes the Association of State Directors of Educational Technology, the Council of Metropolitan Schools and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
The council held its inaugural general meeting on March 28th.
“This is just the beginning,” Kruger said. “It's like a huge steamship. It takes a while to get the wheels turning, but you can already see a significant difference. A year or two or three years ago there was little interest. [cybersecurity] Resources for K-12.”
The launch comes seven months after the White House hosted the first K-12 Cybersecurity Summit.Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and First Lady Jill Biden unveiled a cybersecurity initiative that includes a government steering committee.
As part of the White House initiative, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will provide customized assessments and cybersecurity training and practice to K-12 schools. The FBI will release an updated resource guide to help state and education officials know how to report cybersecurity incidents and leverage the federal government's cyber defense capabilities. Some educational technology companies have also pledged to provide free or low-cost cybersecurity training resources to school districts.
States are also working to help schools respond to cyberattacks. Last year, states enacted nearly twice as many new cybersecurity laws affecting education than the previous year, according to a CoSN report.. Many of the new laws are aimed at forcing K-12 officials to address cybersecurity or try to connect school districts with better technology expertise.