Legislation to safeguard the privacy of student information has passed the Michigan Senate.
One bill would bar the State and school districts from selling personally identifiable information in K-12 student educational records to for-profit businesses.
It also would require school districts to let parents know, upon request and without charge, any information disclosed about their child, the name and contact information of each person or entity to whom the information was disclosed, and the reasons the information was given out.
A second bill would prevent online educational services from selling or disclosing personally identifiable student records or using them for targeted advertising.
"Today in public education, we collect an enormous amount of data," said Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St.Clair Township, who sponsored the Senate bills. "And that data needs to be protected."
Pavlov said safeguarding student private information is a growing area of concern as more and more data is collected, stored and shared electronically and as education is being more frequently conducted online.
The bills now go to the House for consideration.
