Boston Public Schools responds to a ‘serious breach in protocol’
14 August, 2013
category: Education
The Boston Public Schools (BPS) is responding to a “serious breach of protocol” after a vendor reportedly lost of a flash drive containing the student ID badge information for approximately 21,054 students, according to sampan.org.
Officials said none of the information contained on the drive can be used to gain unauthorized access to student records or log-in to any electronic systems. The data on the drive is limited to student names, school, age, grade, ID number, library card number, CharlieCard number and – for about two-thirds of the students – a photo.
The vendor, Northborough-based Plastic Card Systems, is contracted to create OneCard ID badges for the upcoming school year. The drive lost by the vendor contained .pdf images used to print 21,054 student ID badges for students across 36 schools – which include high schools and some middle schools that span grades 6-12.
The drive did not contain any confidential student contact information, such as a home address, phone number, social security number or birth date. Elementary schools, K-8 schools and stand-alone middle schools are not affected.
BPS is currently sending calls and letters to the affected families to inform them of the situation. The district is also taking immediate steps to change the design of Boston OneCard student ID badges, as well as MBTA CharlieCard assignments, in addition to generating new library card numbers to students.
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