How does data privacy apply to digital assessments and what precautions should educators take?

• A. Data privacy is a concern only for teachers handling grades.
• B. Digital assessments are exempt from FERPA protections.
• C. Use open access cloud storage for easy sharing.
• D. Secure storage, restricted access, FERPA compliance, and consent for digital tools and disclosures.

Answer: (D)

Protecting student information in digital assessments means safeguarding how data are collected, stored, and shared, and making sure families’ rights around that data are respected. The most complete approach is to keep all assessment data in secure storage with access limited to authorized personnel, ensure the digital tools you use comply with FERPA, and obtain informed consent for both using those tools and for any data disclosures to vendors or third parties. This combination covers who can see the data, how it’s protected, and how it can be used or shared, aligning with legal requirements and ethical practice.

Data privacy isn’t limited to grades or to paper records; it applies to all student information gathered through digital assessments. Digital assessments aren’t exempt from FERPA protections; those protections apply regardless of format. Using open access cloud storage would raise serious security and privacy concerns, so it’s not appropriate for handling sensitive student data.