One of the primary concerns for many school districts when adopting student GPS tracking software is whether data is safe and protected from people who should not have access to critical student information.
As recently as this month, a school district in New Jersey was hacked. GPS tracking devices understandably make school districts wary of hackers, so network security is a key element when adopting student tracking systems.
Ready to discover how GPS tracking software fits within your school district’s policy of student privacy?
When researching potential GPS tracking devices, one of the most important questions to ask is who has access to data within the program that holds sensitive information and tracks student ridership.
The answer to this question depends on who is given access to information within the software user permissions. For example, what will accounting be able to see versus the transportation coordinator or a secretary?
Web permissions for district staff are required by student tracking systems in order to secure data and protect student and parent privacy. To begin with, school district employees must have a username and password in order to log in.
Login information for student GPS tracking is usually different than the usernames and passwords assigned to the bus routing program. This protects information from being viewed by users who should have access to one program but not to more specific information on individual students.
An SQL server-based program also promotes safety within student tracking software by using stricter password policies. The school district can restrict whether passwords must be alphanumeric, a specific length and even how often they should be changed.
After gaining access to the system, each user has specific permissions. Some users are able to see what bus a student is assigned to, but not where that student is at a given time. Responsibilities are apportioned throughout the software permissions in order to ensure a system of checks and balances.
Whether a hacker is able to access secure information in your student GPS tracking program often depends on the health of your school district’s own network. As many administrators know, it’s difficult to predict what is going to crash a system based on separate firewalls, virus protection and other computer security programs.
If you are concerned about your network being hacked, ask yourself these questions:
Some school districts are dissuaded from using web-based programs they can’t control. If you prefer to host every tool yourself, there are options that should allow your school district to keep everything in-house when you purchase customizable software.
Offsite backups of software data also prevent you from losing valuable information. These backups must be opted into and scheduled by school districts individually.
Additionally, school districts can create their own policy regarding what forms are uploaded to their student tracking system. Available options for forms can include:
In many cases, parents can rest assured that their child is safe when documentation is uploaded to student tracking software and protected by permissions along with district anti-hacking measures.
Parents have limited access to tracking software that allows them to view information about their child but restricts access to another student’s information. Login usually requires an email address provided by the parent and used for confirmation.
If a parent has multiple children in school, he or she will have access to each child’s information with the same login information. However, parents must make sure they have virus protection and a firewall in order for their children’s data to be secure.
Parents who do not have custody of their children are prevented from accessing data that tells them where the child is and are barred from removing them from school.
Documents such as permission slips, medical waivers, photos and custody forms are usually password protected.
School districts seek to adopt student and bus tracking programs because the overall safety of students is improved by having these systems in place.
Some of the many features that also serve as safety benefits of tracking and routing software include:
By securing your new student tracker software system with anti-virus measures, the software permissions that come with the program ensure that only the right people have access to critical student data. Personal information is protected and parents are put at ease knowing that their children are safe during the hours the school district is responsible for them.
Checks and balances within student GPS tracking programs protect student and parent privacy. Given the security of these systems, cost-cutting benefits and contributions to student safety, student tracking software is a smart choice for any school district willing to make the investment.
Do you have further questions about student tracking system security or how GPS tracking fits within your school district’s transportation program? Call 267-915-4188 to speak with an experienced industry professional or click here to access live chat and receive help right away.
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