State Board of Education discusses cybersecurity concerns, substitute teacher shortage

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -The State Education Department is working with Kansas faculty districts to forestall faculties from turning into targets for cyber assaults.

The State Board of Education says a latest audit discovered many faculty districts haven’t applied IT safety controls.

“The audit results and what we presented earlier Tuesday absolutely created an amazing opportunity for us and for school districts to work together,” mentioned Kathi Grossenbacher, KSDE’s Information Technology.

The audit reported that 58% of Kansas faculty districts don’t require safety consciousness coaching, and 63% don’t yearly assess IT safety dangers.

“We have not experienced any sort of ransom attack or anything like that at the Department of Education,” mentioned Grossenbacher. She added that academics observe what they discover out alongside the best way, “they are not required to do anything specific related to cyber security, but we are working to help them with that to recognize their needs and address any shortcomings that they have right now.”

The State Education Department is working with faculty districts to develop suggestions to assist Okay-12 faculty districts stop cyber assaults. “Creating a best practice template with those security standards, creating a website that entails having not only security best practices on it but also digital literacy,” mentioned Grossenbacher.

The State Board of Education talked about that their forming a Okay-12 district IT workers collaborative advisory council. “We’re going to come together as a group and determine what it is that our school districts need in terms of professional development, technical assistance, so we will be working with them very closely to ensure that we are strengthening the security posture,” mentioned Grossenbacher.

Board members additionally addressed the necessity for substitute academics.

“I think the problem is that there are just so many people with the disease or out on quarantine that we can’t keep the school staff,” mentioned Ann Mah, District 4 State Board of Education Member. “I think one of the things I hear from substitutes is they need to make better pay. There are so many jobs right now where you can make as much as a substitute teacher, but you have to weigh the safety and the things that you’re going to encounter.”

Superintendents are requesting an emergency declaration for substitute teacher licensure, making modifications together with how lengthy somebody is allowed to fill in.

97% of faculties say they don’t have sufficient substitutes, as resulting from covid-19 retains extra common workers away.

“We’ve got a temporary solution that will just be in for a few months to help give these schools some relief so kids can stay in school safely,” mentioned Mah.

Applicants would should be 18 years outdated, with a highschool diploma, and cross a background examine.

The emergency declaration would solely run from January thirteenth by June 1st.

The board of schooling votes Wednesday on suggestions for substitute teacher licenses.

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