Student Data Privacy

Student Information System (SIS) Data

When a student enrolls at Cohasset Public Schools, we collect basic identifying and academic information — name, date of birth, address, emergency contacts, attendance records, grades, and special services or accommodations. This data lives in Aspen, our Student Information System, and is used to support instruction, communicate with families, and meet state and federal reporting requirements.

Technology Account Data

When students use district Google accounts, Clever or other approved platforms, those systems collect activity data; documents created, assignments submitted, login times, and similar usage information. This data is used by teachers to support instruction and by the district to troubleshoot technical issues. It is not shared with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

Device and Network Data

The district monitors activity on school-issued devices and school networks for safety and security purposes. This includes websites visited, content filtered, and login activity. Monitoring is limited to school-issued devices and school networks; personal devices on home networks are not monitored.

Assessment Data

State and district assessments generate performance data that is used to inform instruction, report to the state as required by law, and support school improvement planning. This data is handled according to strict state and federal guidelines.

Cohasset Public Schools:

• Does not sell student data to any third party - ever
• Does not use student data for targeted advertising
• Does not allow vendors to use student data for purposes beyond the educational service they provide
• Does not permit AI tools to train on student data
• Does not share personally identifiable student information without family consent except as required by law

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act FERPA is the federal law that governs student educational records. It gives parents and guardians the right to inspect and review their child's educational records, request corrections to inaccurate information, and consent to most disclosures of personally identifiable information. When a student turns 18 or attends a post-secondary institution, these rights transfer to the student. Cohasset Public Schools complies fully with FERPA.

COPPA

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act COPPA restricts the collection of personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. All digital tools used with students under 13 at Cohasset are reviewed for COPPA compliance before use. Tools that collect personal information from young children without appropriate consent are not permitted.

Student Data Privacy Consortium

Cohasset Public Schools is a member of the Student Data Privacy Consortium, a national network of schools and districts working to establish consistent, strong data privacy agreements with ed-tech vendors. Membership means our vendor agreements meet a higher standard than the industry default. 

Before any digital tool is used with Cohasset students, it goes through a district review process. We evaluate every tool for:

• Student data privacy; what data the tool collects, how it's stored, who has access, and how long it's retained
• Terms of service and data use agreements; whether the vendor's contractual commitments meet our standards
• FERPA and COPPA compliance; whether the tool meets federal requirements for student privacy
• Security practices; whether the tool uses appropriate encryption and access controls
• Educational value; whether the tool genuinely supports learning

Tools that do not meet our privacy standards are not approved for use with students, regardless of their educational features. Teachers may not use unapproved tools with students, if a teacher wants to use a new tool, they submit a request through an online form the review process begins.

• No AI tool may be used with students unless it has completed the district privacy review
• Student work, names, or any personally identifiable information may not be entered into AI tools
• Approved AI tools must contractually commit to not using student data to train their models
• Our AI Use Guidelines lay out how students and teachers may use AI tools in learning contexts

If you have questions about a specific AI tool your child has encountered at school, contact your schools principal.

In the unlikely event of a data breach or security incident affecting student information, Cohasset Public Schools will notify affected families as required by law and as quickly as possible. Notifications will be sent by (email / letter / both) and will include what happened, what information was involved, what we are doing to address it, and what steps families can take to protect themselves.

If you suspect that your child's information has been compromised, contact your students school immediately.

Questions about student data privacy at Cohasset Public Schools? We're glad to hear from you. Please reach out to Beth Wilcox ewilcox@cohassetk12.org

Last reviewed: September 15, 2026. This page is reviewed annually and updated whenever district policies or applicable laws change.