WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Doris Matsui (CA-07) last week introduced the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act, bipartisan legislation to help schools prevent cyber attacks by improving information sharing and giving educators the tools they need to keep classrooms open and student data protected.
“As a 20-year Air Force intelligence officer and former White House National Security Council member, I’ve spent my whole career tracking threats like these,” said Rep. Nunn. “Now they’re hitting our classrooms — shutting schools down and putting Iowa students’ personal information in the wrong hands. No school should have to fight that alone. Our bipartisan bill gives K-12 schools across the country the backup they need to stop these attacks and protect their students.”
Schools are facing an unprecedented rise in cyber attacks as technology becomes more deeply integrated into classrooms. According to the U.S. Department of Education, K-12 schools experience an average of five cyber threats every week. These attacks have forced schools to cancel classes, interrupted instruction for days or even weeks, exposed sensitive student information, and cost districts anywhere from tens of thousands to more than $1 million to recover.
“When I thought about my own grandchildren going to school, I wanted what every parent and grandparent wants: for them to be safe and focused on learning,” said Rep. Matsui. “No family should have to worry that a cyberattack could expose a child’s personal information or disrupt their education. This bill gives schools the tools, training, and support they need to protect students’ data, help teachers keep classrooms running, and give administrators stronger resources to prevent and respond to cyberattacks.”
The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act would help schools stay ahead of cyber threats by:
- Giving schools stronger cyber defenses through a K-12 Cybersecurity Technology Improvement Program to find and fix vulnerabilities and better protect student and school data.
- Getting schools threat information faster through the School Cybersecurity Information Exchange, where educators can access real-time threat alerts, best practices, and federal cybersecurity resources.
- Learning from every breach through a voluntary Cybersecurity Incident Registry that helps schools identify trends, coordinate responses, and prevent the next attack.
“Schools are increasingly at risk from cybersecurity threats. NAESP is proud to endorse the Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act, a bill which would give our members practical tools, information, and resources from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to help pre-K-8 school leaders protect student data and privacy and to avoid costly school disruptions,” said L. Earl Franks, Executive Director, National Association of Elementary School Principals. “We commend Representatives Matsui and Nunn and Senators Blackburn and Warner for their bipartisan leadership on this critically important issue.”
“Cybersecurity remains one of the most urgent technology challenges facing K-12 schools. School districts face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats that can disrupt learning, compromise student and personnel data, and strain already limited technology resources,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). “CoSN strongly supports the bipartisan Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act because it will strengthen information sharing, improve understanding of the cyber threats facing schools, and expand access to the resources and expertise districts need to better protect their networks. We applaud the bill’s bicameral and bipartisan sponsors for their leadership on this important issue.”
“SETDA strongly supports the bipartisan Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act because it improves collaboration, increases visibility into cyber incidents affecting schools, and expands access to the tools and technical assistance states and districts need to protect students and critical education systems,” said Dorann Avey, SETDA Board Chair. “We commend Representative Matsui and Representative Nunn for their leadership and urge Congress to advance this vitally important legislation.”
The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act is the House companion to bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mark Warner (D-VA). The bill is endorsed by the National Principals Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, the State Educational Technology Directors Association, and the Consortium for School Networking.
Text of the bill is available here.
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