The State Education Department (SED) has established an instructional information system known as the EngageNY Portal, which will allow administrators, educators, parents, and students to access additional educational resources, materials, and student information. It is expected that each school district receiving Race to the Top funds will participate in the EngageNY Portal. SED has contracted with inBloom, a nonprofit organization formally known as the Shared Learning Collaborative, which collects and stores student information in order to provide educational technology services for school districts. Student information released to inBloom includes student demographic information, parent contact information, out-of-school suspension records, course outcomes, and State assessment scores. The partnership is anticipated to be funded through the 2014-15 school year. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, participating school districts and the State will have to pay a per-pupil cost to continue using inBloom's services if they elect to do so. In order to address concerns related to the distribution of personally identifiable student information, the Assembly recently passed A.7872-A (Nolan) and A.6059-A (O'Donnell) during the 2013 legislative session.

The Assembly Standing Committee on Education seeks testimony examining the storage, use, and the disclosure of personally identifiable student information. The Committee also seeks testimony examining the costs to the State and schools districts associated with collaborating with educational technological support services, such as inBloom and other third party vendors once alternative funding mechanisms are exhausted.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

Hon. Catherine T. Nolan
Member of Assembly
Chair
Committee on Education

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Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Student Information by School Districts and the State Education Department are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, email or fax it to: