Southold supe calls on private firm to remove student data

After finding out that student data is being shared through the New York State Department of Education Department with a private third-party vendor, Southold School District Superintendent David Gamberg has formally requested to have its students’ data removed from the controversial software system, citing privacy concerns.

Newsday has reported that although student data is currently kept on state computer systems, New York is moving toward contracting with nonprofit Atlanta data company inBloom, Inc. to “store student test scores, disciplinary records, disabilities and other vital subjects.”

Mr. Gamberg fired off a letter to inBloom CEO Iwan Streichenberger on Monday, requesting to “opt-out” from its data storing system, known as the Shared Learning Infrastructure. He has found a clause in the contract that allows districts to request their records be removed from the system, according to Mr. Gamberg’s letter.

“It is our position that this data contains sensitive and highly personal student information that we prefer not be subjected to the potential for breach, unintentional distribution, access, or abuse without parental consent.,” Mr. Gamberg wrote.

The district has taken several stands against the state’s new direction with education. In August, school board approved a resolution calling on state and federal officials to overhaul the current method of standardized testing tied to teacher evaluations.

Scroll down to view Mr. Gamberg’s complete letter. Read more about this story in the Nov. 7 edition of The Suffolk Times.

Southold School District Superintendent David Gamberg’s letter to inBloom, Oct. 28, 2013