Management
Watch & Learn: K–12 Schools Expand Cybersecurity Safeguards
Like many K–12 schools, Prosper Independent School District in Texas relies on funding and resources from the state government. A bill passed in the state in 2023 allocated $55 million to fund improved cybersecurity initiatives for K–12 schools through the Texas Education Agency.
Prosper ISD benefits from managed endpoint detection and response, along with other security services, but district leadership says that technologies alone won’t improve cybersecurity posture. The district’s cyber safety also depends on cybersecurity training and “a healthy level of paranoia,” says CTO Fernando De Velasco.
Cybersecurity training also makes students more aware of online risks, a driving force behind new legislation in North Dakota. The state government recently passed a bill that requires students to take cybersecurity coursework before graduating high school.
Districts such as Grand Forks Public Schools are working to put these new standards in place while evaluating what will have the biggest educational impact on students.
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Participants
Fernando De Velasco, CTO, Prosper Independent School District
Ryan McGuire, Cybersecurity Coordinator, Prosper Independent School District
Eric Ripley, Executive Director of Career and Technical Education, Grand Forks Public Schools
Video Highlights
- State funding is cushioning K–12 schools’ cybersecurity improvements as threats to student data continue to grow.
- Schools rely on a mix of technology solutions such as endpoint detection and response and staff training to keep cybercriminals out of their networks.
- Some states, such as North Dakota, are passing laws that require K–12 students to learn cybersecurity best practices before they graduate.
