Focus Area

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity

Resources, professional learning, services, and support for helping districts protect student and mission-critical data.

Consulting, resources, and support

Securing and managing mission-critical data is not a one-person job. That’s why the Learning Technology Center provides support for implementing the latest data security protocols and complying with state and federal mandates, including SOPPA.

Our team stays at the forefront of K-12 data privacy and security innovations. Through our one-on-one consultations, events, and resources, we can put that knowledge to work for you by creating productive workflows and data management solutions for your district.

Services
Service
Professional Learning

Be Connected Networking Series

Monthly
Free

A weekly webinar series hosted by the LTC’s Technology Services Team.

Service
Service

Cybersecurity Audits & Assessments

Free

Free district cybersecurity assessments for Illinois public school districts.

Service
Consulting

Education Consulting

Free

Consulting on all tech-related teaching and learning topics.

Service
Professional Learning

Illinois Education and Technology Conference

November
$175+

At IETC, you’re at the center of Illinois’ edtech conversation. A must-attend event for educators inspired to lead and foster transformative, tech-powered learning experiences.

Service
Service

ILTPP Purchasing Cooperative

Free

Save money and time through ILTPP cooperative purchasing contracts.

Service
Network

LTC Online Community

Free

A free online community for educators, admin, and technology leaders.

Service
Service

Phishing Awareness Program

Free

Free phishing campaigns to public school districts in Illinois.

Service
Professional Learning

Regional Workshops and Events

Variable

Over 650 regional events and conferences on educational technology topics.

Service
Service

SDPC Add-On Service

$550/year

Strengthen student data privacy compliance in your district with our SDPC add-on service, providing Illinois schools expert support, streamlined NDPA processing, and vendor negotiations.

Service
Professional Learning

SecurED Schools

January
$75+

Secured Schools is the LTC’s annual virtual cybersecurity and data privacy conference, aimed at bolstering security measures within K12 school systems.

Service
Service

Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC)

Free

Join SDPC to manage data privacy agreements in accordance with SOPPA.

Service
Professional Learning

SummIT

Summer
$100

A summer technology conference for IT leaders and support staff.

Resources
Resource
Best PracticesStandards

Cyber Incident Response & Recovery Framework for Schools

This framework for K-12 technology leaders and district stakeholders defines the structured lifecycle for responding to and recovering from cyber incidents within an educational environment.

Resource
Resource Collections

Incident Response Plan Templates

Curated by the LTC’s Technology Services team, 11 templates and example playbooks for developing comprehensive incident response plans based on core objectives, actions, and communications.

Resource
Guidance

Legislative Brief: Student Data Privacy Laws to Know

Under state and federal law, Illinois schools are legally required to keep student data secure and safe. 

This legislative brief provides a summary of several relevant privacy laws, including how they may impact school operations.

Resource
Handout/Worksheet

District Website Checklist

The District Website Checklist is a component of the more extensive Legal Reference Guide published by the Learning Technology Center and is designed to assist school districts in navigating the landscape of legal obligations.

Resource
Guidance

CyberGuide

Strengthen your district’s cybersecurity posture with this free guide for technology leaders, which includes step-by-step instructions on how to implement auditing, professional development, incident response and disaster recovery planning, and much more.

Resource
Guidance

Sample Communications when using IL-NDPA

LTC resource for communicating with vendors about SOPPA and the IL-NDPA.

Resource
Report

National Data Privacy Agreement + Illinois Exhibit

The National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA) streamlines application contracting and sets common expectations between schools/districts and marketplace providers. The LTC created an Illinois-specific exhibit that modifies the NDPA for use in Illinois, making it compliant

Resource
Guidance

Getting Started with SOPPA

LTC Resource sharing information about getting started with SOPPA.

Resource
Guidance

Using ISPA to Comply with SOPPA

LTC Resource sharing a workflow for managing SOPPA in your District.

Resource
Guidance

Managing Agreements with ISPA

LTC Resource sharing a workflow for the management of data privacy agreements for SOPPA.

Resource
Report

Illinois-National Data Privacy Agreement v1.0a (IL-NDPA)

The IL-NDPA is a data privacy agreement that has been created at a national level by the Student Data Privacy Consortium and customized at a State of Illinois level by the Illinois Council of School

Resource
Tools and Apps

Checklist for using the IL-NDPA – Originating or Subscribing

This checklist gives tips and suggestions on the best ways of using the IL-NDPA in combination with the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) database.

Events
CybersecurityData Privacy

SecurED Schools

Jan 27, 2026
$75

Join K–12 technology leaders at SecurED Schools (Jan. 27–28, 2026) for hands-on sessions with national experts and practical strategies to strengthen your district’s cybersecurity and data privacy.

Duane Shaffer
Duane Shaffer
Director of Technology Services, Learning Technology Center
Articles

“That’s a wrap!” – Highlights from IETC 2020

The 27th annual Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) wrapped up on Saturday, November 21. This year marked the conference’s first venture into the virtual realm, with all sessions, workshops,

Classroom Integration & Pedagogy

“A Big Year Ahead” – Takeaways from SecurED Schools 2021

The 4th annual SecurED Schools conference concluded back on Thursday, January 14. Though this year’s gathering was held virtually, technology leaders from around Illinois still participated in plenty of insightful

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity

“We need to act. Now.” 4 Takeaways from SecurED Schools 2025

January’s conference was packed with actionable cybersecurity insights. Here’s what we learned from this year’s conversation leaders – including K-12 tech leaders and national experts.

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
Duane Shaffer
Duane Shaffer
Director of Technology Services, Learning Technology Center

4 Cybersecurity Tips for School Staff & Students

Each October, the US recognizes Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a multi-week opportunity for everyone – including K-12 school districts – to recommit themselves to protecting digital networks and data. Here are

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
Eric Muckensturm
Eric Muckensturm
IT Strategy Manager, Cybersecurity, Learning Technology Center

Achieving SOPPA Compliance with Reasonable Security Practices

The Learning Technology Center selected 43 security best practices that all districts should implement to comply with new SOPPA legislation.

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity
Tim McIlvain
Tim McIlvain
Executive Director, Learning Technology Center

Catch Up on the LTC’s Top Resources and Services

Whether you’re in the classroom, supporting educators, or striving to keep your district’s IT infrastructure humming, the LTC wants to help you start out the next school year with as

Classroom Integration & Pedagogy
LTC Staff
LTC Staff
Statewide Team, Learning Technology Center
Contracts
Contracts are facilitated by ILTPP, the LTC’s cooperative that leverages the collective buying power of Illinois K-12 schools to provide affordable, high-quality technology and digital learning resources through trusted vendor partnerships.
Sorry, no content found.