TN Department of Education Rectifies Student Data Release

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education announced today that 40 Obion County school students’ personal information was inadvertently disclosed during a data systems training in August 2007. The information was displayed in a PowerPoint presentation used for the training that included a computer “screen shot.” The presentation remained posted on the Department’s Career and Technical Education Division’s Web site after the training.

“I want to assure every student and every parent that this data has been removed from our Web site,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “We are working quickly to reestablish protocols and we have developed a plan to provide identity theft and online credit monitoring to protect these families as we move forward.”

Students’ name and full Social Security numbers were visible via a screen shot of the Department’s data system included in a PowerPoint presentation that was archived on the Department’s Web site.

The Department of Education is working to ensure such actions do not occur in the future. Upon hiring, every department employee receives training regarding the handling of personally identifiable student information. The Department of Education is currently planning additional training to reinforce current federal law and policy regarding the handling of personally identifiable student information.

Safeguards are also being implemented immediately to protect the affected students. These measures include:

• The Department will provide identity theft and online credit monitoring to every family and individual affected at no cost. The monitoring will be provided through Experian, a leading national credit monitoring and identity theft protection company.
• Students will receive notification of the breach via a written letter. The letter will provide students with details about the incident and remedies being provided.
• Letters have already been mailed to affected students notifying them of the breach. Those letters will provide additional instructions and information regarding credit protection.

Concerned parents may request information by contacting the Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education Division at (615) 532-2807.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@tn.gov .   
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