Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have introduced a bill in the Senate that would establish a K-12 cybersecurity education initiative.
“The safety of our schools is always my top priority and that includes protecting the information of our students and teachers,” Sen. Scott tweeted, while adding that he’s “proud” to sponsor the bill with Sen. Peters and to “further protect our schools and give them the resources they need to stay safe.”
The K-12 Cybersecurity Act of 2019 (S.3033) would implement a study on cybersecurity risks facing K-12 institutions no later than one year after enactment. The study would include challenges that educational institutions face in securing information systems owned, leased, or relied on by them, as well as sensitive student and employee records.
After the study is complete – no later than 270 days after – the director of the initiative would develop voluntary recommendations to address cybersecurity risks found to be facing K-12 educational institutions. Using the recommendations, the initiative director would develop an online training toolkit to assist institutions in education officials about the cybersecurity recommendations and provide them with strategies to implement the recommendations.
In addition, the director would be required to make the findings of the study, the cybersecurity recommendations, and the online training toolkit available on the Department of Homeland Security website.
