Crazy Crawfish has a devastating critique of Louisiana’s plan to turn over confidential student data to inBloom, the company created by Gates and Rupert Murdoch to assemble a vast database for vendors.
Superintendent John White sent out a letter to county superintendents, trying to assure them that there is nothing unususl or invidious about outsourcing private student data to a national database.
Crazy Crawfish used to work in the state department of education. He gives a line by line of John White’s little white lies.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
E-mailed a high level official in my state about my concerns about inBloom. I was first told they follow privacy laws, lawyers review contracts, etc. A few E-mails later, I was told information would not be shared and the purpose of inBloom to make software work across all different electronic devices. I also E-mailed inBloom and they said they meet the highest industry standard and exceeding the federal standards. My biggest concern was my child’s SSN. I found out that my state doesn’t require that parents supply SSN when registering their child (I wish I knew that at the time) so I had my child’s SSN removed.
To me the root cause is we have too much data on our children. Remove the source – tons of standardized test – and the database is useless. However, I haven’t spoken to educators in my state (currently my county is not participating) to determine if they think this database is useful.
LikeLike
On Boing boing today (but I went to a meeting on this last fall) http://boingboing.net/2013/04/04/american-public-schools-in-9-s.html
LikeLike
Frank Catalano is very knowledgable about inBloom. I came across his comment on a TechCrunch story:
With $100M From The Gates Foundation & Others, inBloom Wants To Transform Education By Unleashing Its Data
Catalano: [SLC’s (now inBloom’s) original business model included charging hosting fees to participating states and districts to store the data (those willing to pilot it got a break in cost, to encourage pilots). But the infrastructure itself, as I understand it, was to be free of charge. It is supposed to be a type of universal plumbing for student data and connecting that data to digital Common Core resources. But whether it becomes universal depends on whether a critical mass of districts/states adopt it, education companies tie into its APIs and whether, of course, it works as well as planned.]
Yesterday’s inBloom report was it’s running behind (see link below). All of the pilot states must keep fighting this project for it to stop. And the other states need to let their education officials know about their opposition BEFORE it becomes universal.
I guess mostly, parents need to know about the plan.
If you missed this one yesterday — it’s an interview w inBloom. Nice job by Audrey Watters:
More Details on InBloom’s Plans for Student Data
http://hackeducation.com/2013/04/04/inbloom-more-details/
LikeLike
Let the lawsuits begin. Why does a cereal website offer more privacy and data protection than a state or federal agency? I figure that the first data breech will be a hackers goldmine and not too soon in coming. Storing data in a cloud and allowing a third party to protect. Oh my! An identity theft’s dream. Ca-ching!
LikeLike
How are these data banks not a violation of FERPA? Anyone know?
LikeLike
I think it was Ben Franklin who said “When you give up your liberty for safety, you end up with neither.” Why are we allowing this to happen? What is wrong with the public in this country? Do they have some kind of mental illness I ask?
LikeLike
This vast data base will also store the inflated test scores of thousands of students, many struggling students, from school systems where only cheating could yield a passing or exceeding score. Especially, special education and ELL kids did extremely well. Now what? That will not bother ethical Gates/Murdock inBloom. It will support that their tactics are working. Lying with statistics. Nothing new there. Thousands of inflated test scores in their data bank going to vendors? What will the outcome be? Unforeseen consequences? Gates will not care, but I do. Anyone else concerned?
LikeLike
It’s my understanding t hat federal law has been rewritten to circumvent FERPA.
LikeLike