The Pasco County school district has had too few controls over who can access private student data in its information systems, a recent state audit reported.
The operational audit, conducted every other year, found that the district lacked sufficient rules limiting which employees could get into restricted information, such as Social Security numbers. It also did not have guidelines distinguishing among those employees with access to current student information, and those who could review past student information.
“The existence of unnecessary IT user access privileges increases the risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal information and the possibility that such information may be used to commit a fraud against current or former District students,” the audit report stated.
In its review, which occurred in summer 2019, the Auditor General’s Office determined that the district maintained “sensitive personal information” of 270,623 former and 52,015 current district and charter school students. It also found that 898 district and charter school employees had continuous user access to the information.
A select review of 30 of those employees indicated that none needed to have such details on an ongoing basis.
In a response to the Auditor General, superintendent Kurt Browning said the district would launch a semi-annual review of the employees who can access personal data. He added that the information technology department would incorporate ways to mask such information within the system, so others would not see it. And, he said, the district will take a closer look at whether it needs to collect Social Security numbers at all.
The auditors noted that the district had taken one other step: “Subsequent to our inquiry, in November 2019, District personnel indicated that they removed the unnecessary access privileges for 570 employees, including the 30 employees included in our audit tests.”
The operations audit uncovered two other issues of concern.
It found one charter school improperly issued one Best and Brightest bonus to a teacher who did not qualify. The district said it relied on the charter schools to verify their teachers’ eligibility, but the auditors stated that the district should collect proper verification.
It also determined that the district must do more to document whether employees’ dependents are qualified to participate in the district health insurance plan upon enrollment and in future renewals. The district has announced it has plans to verify participants moving forward.
HUDSON TURNAROUND: Hudson Elementary in northwestern Pasco County is set to close in the spring.
The School Board approved the move in mid-January. The district planning staff has begun preparations to redraw attendance zone maps, reassigning the 500-plus children enrolled there.
It’s not a done deal at the state level, though.
In Tallahassee, Hudson remains on the list of turnaround schools that need to change operations if its student test results don’t improve. And outside providers have begun to sniff around for opportunities.
On Jan. 31, superintendent Kurt Browning received two letters of interest from firms that might want to take over Hudson.
One came from Edison Learning, which has provided turnaround services in places such as San Jose, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Another came from Noble Learning, an arm of Fort Lauderdale-based Charter Schools USA, which recently ran three takeover schools in Indianapolis until losing its contract.
School Board members have made clear that they have no stomach for ceding control of the local schools to outside entities. Part of their rationale for approving the administration’s plan to shutter Hudson was to avoid having the state force a decision over which they had little or no say.
The Hudson plan emerged after a year of internal discussions and review.
Still, the Florida Department of Education could continue to influence the outcome, if it wishes. The department has rejected school closure turnaround plans in other counties such as Broward and Polk in the past, and theoretically could do the same in Pasco.
Keenly aware of that possibility, Browning has kept in touch with the department’s vice chancellor who oversees the turnarounds. In addition to preparing the forms required for the Hudson closure, Browning has requested copies of the like forms that the department rejected, as well as the district responses afterward.
District officials said they want to ensure they meet all the state expectations, so they can move ahead with their plans for improving the schools in Hudson.
RETIREMENT PLANS: For nearly a decade, the Pasco school district took a hard line on teachers who wanted to keep working after their official retirement date.
Once they were done, they couldn’t change their minds.
About two years ago, superintendent Kurt Browning agreed to take a closer look at extensions in the deferred retirement program, at first on a case-by-case basis.
Now, the district has a plan to apply for such extensions. And nearly four dozen employees are potentially eligible.
The district planned to send letters to those workers on Feb. 3, informing them that if they wished to apply, they could ask their principals first. If their principal was interested, they could stay.
If not, they could seek a job elsewhere in the system, although the district would not be obligated to provide a different job.
The caveat: Extensions would be for one year only, and the employees must agree to work the entire academic year. Time will tell if anyone decides to go for it.
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Too many employees can access Pasco students’ private data, audit states - Tampa Bay Times
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