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WINTHROP

Social Security number collection by schools raises concerns

Required to track student performance

By Matthew Stone mstone@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WINTHROP -- School board members are skeptical about a plan by the state Department of Education to collect students' Social Security numbers when school begins this fall.

Some board members at a meeting Wednesday night suggested passing a resolution opposing the law or opting out of the Social Security number collection altogether.

Ultimately, though, the board requested that administrators devise a secure way of collecting the numbers and keeping the data safe.

"We're handing out our Social Security numbers like it's our street address," said John Mitchell, the school board chairman. "I don't see any reason for it."

The gathering of Social Security numbers is in response to a 2009 state law requiring it, as state education officials develop a longitudinal data system to track student progress throughout school and college and into the workplace.

The Obama administration has emphasized more aggressive data collection by schools as a way to assess their effectiveness and inform policy decisions. Maine won a $7.3 million federal grant in the spring to support its data system's development.

The law requires that schools collect Social Security numbers, but parents don't have to submit their children's numbers when their schools request them.

The state Department of Education on Tuesday released guidance to schools for collecting the numbers, which included language explaining to parents that they can opt out of the Social Security number collection.

School board member Mark King said the language that goes to parents should also include an advisory about the dangers associated with sharing Social Security numbers.

"It's pretty alarming if you don't have those caveats, for sure," he said.

Board members urged school administrators to develop a secure collection system for the Social Security numbers. According to the law, a student Social Security number needs to be accompanied by a parent signature.

"I don't want it coming in with the kids," King said. "That's very important information, and we don't even have a policy about how we keep that private or safe."

Mitchell, the chairman, initially suggested a board resolution opposing the law. Board member Dwight Doughty, however, said that wasn't necessary.

"Rather than dwell on this, why don't we leave it to the parents and make sure they have the communication so they're aware?" he said.

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, ext. 435

mstone@centralmaine.com