Opinion
—Getty
By
Doug Levin
Born in the 20th century, most superintendents and school board members are not experts in issues of technology, much less cybersecurity. As schools are growing increasingly reliant on 21st century technology for teaching, learning, and school operations, this lack of expertise has consequences and introduces new risks to school district operations.
Consider that of the 18 peer groups investigated by the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center in a recent review, local K-12 schools were reported to have the least mature cybersecurity risk-management practices of any state or local government agency. Similarly, a survey published last year by the National School Boards Association found that school officials are less prepared for cyberattacks than their peers in private sector companies.
As they juggle other critical priorities, superintendents and school board members may wonder what the scope of their responsibility should be in weighing cybersecurity risks and protecting against threats. After all, isn’t that the purpose of cybersecurity insurance and the role of district technology staff? Why would district…
