Round Rock ISD has been awarded the Trusted Learning Environment (TLE) Seal in recognition of the measurable steps the District has taken to ensure the privacy of student data.

The TLE Seal is a voluntary and ambitious program that sets practices and norms for schools around privacy of student data. Districts that earn the TLE Seal are recognized for successfully implementing the practices to build and foster ongoing trust at the core of their cultures.

“As a District, our top priority is the safety and security of our students,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Flores said. “This also includes protecting the privacy and security of our student data. As we further evolve our efforts and practices, we will continue to strive for fostering a culture of trust between our community and District while always keeping our students best interests in mind.”

To earn the TLE Seal, the District embarked on a rigorous application process that involved providing data to validate efforts and results in the areas of:

  • Leadership: Managing and collaborating with stakeholders regarding the use and governance of student data to inform instruction,
  • Classroom: Implementing educational procedures and processes to ensure transparency while advancing curricular goals,
  • Data Security: Performing regular audits of data privacy and security practices and publicly detail these measures,
  • Business: Establishing acquisition vetting processes and contracts that, at a minimum, address applicable compliance laws while supporting innovation and
  • Professional Development: Requiring school staff to conduct privacy and security training, and offer the instruction to all stakeholders.

The TLE Seal program is run by the Consortium for School Networking and was created to provide school districts with a set of concrete practices to evolve their student data protections beyond the legal requirements.

“We are honored to earn the Trusted Learning Environment Seal for our efforts to ensure the security and privacy of our student’s data,” said Mark Gabehart, executive director of management information services. “Round Rock ISD has made data privacy a priority through our policies and practices and we look forward to continuing these efforts to further enhance the safety and security of our students.”

The TLE Seal distinction is valid until April 2019, after which the District will be required to submit a new application.