01/29/2020
Yesterday, January 28th, was Data Privacy Day, the international annual day of action and awareness for the need to protect our personal data. The College Board and ACT sell personal student data at a profit, even though twenty-one states, including Michigan, prohibit this practice by school vendors, operators or service providers, under any condition. Yet, almost every district or state contracts with one of these organizations to administer the PSAT, SAT, AP or ACT exams to students in school. The College Board continues to sell student data for 47 cents per student to colleges and other organizations, including some for-profit companies, but has refused to make the list public. They offer student test scores within a range, and other personal information deceptively gathered from vulnerable students via surveys administered before the exams.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, it explained one reason colleges buy the data is to lower their acceptance rates and boost their selectivity, by luring far more students to apply than they have any intention of accepting. Most outrageously, the College Board falsely claims they don’t sell student data on their privacy policy, instead saying they “license” the data, a difference without a distinction.
This needs to stop. One way to take action is to contact the state Attorneys General today, ask them to investigate these illegal practices, which violate state student privacy laws.
Wall Street Journal:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-sale-sat-takers-names-colleges-buy-student-data-and-boost-exclusivity-11572976621?link_id=4&can_id=d127bb826ee76f757b84ee428cb1f0e0&source=email-please-urge-your-state-ag-to-investigate-the-college-board-on-data-privacy-day&email_referrer=email_710839&email_subject=for-data-privacy-day-urge-your-state-ag-to-investigate-the-college-board-for-selling-student-data
Analysis of MI SB 510:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2015-SFA-0510-U.pdf
MI Attorney General:
https://www.michigan.gov/ag/
For 47 cents, the College Board will sell an individual’s information, allowing schools to market themselves more broadly. This encourages an increase in applications, which can lead to higher rejection rates.
