In response to the growing role of technology in education, the U.S. Department of Education unveiled robust cybersecurity initiatives, including a Government Coordinating Council and a Back to School Safely Cybersecurity Summit. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the launch of a series of initiatives aimed at fortifying the digital infrastructure of schools across the nation in an Aug. 7 news release.
“Students across our country deserve to learn in an environment that is not only safe and secure physically, but also digitally. This means that schools need the best tools and information available to protect their networks and systems from the full range of cybersecurity threats,” Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly said in the release.
Cardona highlighted the growing significance of technology in education, emphasizing modern classrooms are equipped with more devices and connectivity options than ever before, the release reported. He underlined the potential of educational technology to foster enhanced student engagement and learning outcomes, while also allowing teachers to create more interactive and effective teaching experiences.
“Let’s face it: in today’s digital age, our students and their teachers will increasingly use technology in the classroom," Cardona said in the release.
A cornerstone of the U.S. Department of Education's new cybersecurity strategy is the establishment of a Government Coordinating Council, which will serve as a central hub for coordinating efforts to bolster cybersecurity resilience in K-12 education, the release said. This initiative is expected to bring together stakeholders from the Biden-Harris administration, educational institutions, industry experts and advocacy groups, fostering collaborative solutions to address cybersecurity challenges.
Additionally, three K-12 Digital Infrastructure briefs, among them the "K-12 Digital Infrastructure Brief: Defensible and Resilient," co-authored in collaboration with CISA were announced, according to the release. These briefs offer comprehensive guidance for educational institutions to build and maintain resilient digital infrastructure, safeguarding against a broad spectrum of cyber threats.
One of the significant upcoming events on the horizon is the Back to School Safely: Cybersecurity Summit for K-12 Schools, an initiative led by The White House. The summit will provide a platform for leaders in education, industry and advocacy to engage in meaningful discussions about the pressing cybersecurity challenges faced by students, educators and families, the release said.
The summit aims to leverage collective expertise and experiences to drive advancements in cybersecurity resilience within the K-12 education sector, according to the release.
