SB1279 Summary

• Amends Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-1043 to establish comprehensive policies for managing student-level data access and protection by the Department of Education, county school superintendents, state board of education, and state board for charter schools.

• Requires written data-sharing agreements that comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and specify purpose, scope, duration, and use limitations for disclosed student data.

• Mandates a detailed data security plan including access authorization guidelines, privacy compliance standards, security audits, breach procedures, data retention and destruction policies, staff training requirements, and consequences for security breaches.

• Appropriates $350,000 in fiscal year 2021-2022 and $200,000 annually beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023 to the Department of Education for implementing these policies and protecting student data.

• Requires the Department of Education to report annually to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by December 31 on how appropriated funds are being used to manage access and protect student-level data.