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Next Event: May 1
Next Event: May 1

PIA Project

ProLearn is...
Professional Learning @ATLE.ca

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Read more about our PIA roundtable meetups!

What's New? December, 2023

Now in Year Two of this project we have milestones to celebrate and challenges to tackle!

  • Cenera has created a document that examines the idea of "consent" as it relates to the privacy context here in Alberta. Its thoughts provide clarity we might not have expected to find. Download PDF: ATLE Role of Consent in Privacy Management in Schools
  • Cenera has combed the data gathered in the Common Sense Privacy database to see what works for Alberta - what is relevant to FOIP and what is not - with the result being a comprehensive spreadsheet that comprises a tool that we can use with confidence to evaluate apps within the Alberta FOIP context. The challenge is the tool is thorough to the point of being unwieldy for most of us to use.
  • Although we have a spreadsheet now, it is quite unlike Common Sense Privacy's, so we will not be using much data from Common Sense Privacy to give us the head start we had planned: FOIP requirements are different from the requirements of the legislation in the United States, to the point that not much of the Common Sense Privacy data can smoothly be integrated into a FOIP-lensed document.
  • Now (Fall, 2023) we are working with the resultant spreadsheet of indicators to see how it can be distilled into a more useable format while not compromising its validity when put to the task of evaluating actual third-party apps. 
  • We understand the pressing need to provide a tool for school authorities sooner rather than later, but are, like you, determined to do our utmost to ensure that the tool we provide will be robust and useable over time. 
  • To build capacity, ATLE ProLearn has formed an informal PIA PLN, which meets each month or two at an open lunchtime roundtable to explore ideas together, supported by consultants from Cenera. All are welcome to join us at these meetups. Register here!

Get Involved

Join our PIA Leadership PLN and receive timely updates.

Complete the ATLE Connect! survey and check off PIA Leadership as your PLN of choice.

Register today for the next upcoming lunchtime PIA roundtable chat. Register here!

The Challenge

Alberta school authorities have been doing their best to put governance plans in place to comply with the use of third-party apps from a FOIP perspective. This time-consuming compliance approach, however, is often "side of desk" for most districts despite our all recognizing the importance of this work.

The Solution

ATLE sees value in providing an onramp for school authorities to help them manage this work by collaborating with Cenera to develop a tool that can guide FOIP-compliant evaluations of selected commonly used third-party apps. By applying the tool to selected apps, ATLE can then help school authorities save time replicating this process, leaving local evaluations to focus mainly on context-specific questions. 

ATLE is working with Cenera to develop a reliable tool that can be used to build a provincial repository of resources for third-party app compliance. This work supports schools, teachers and ultimately the safety of our students here in Alberta. 

The ATLE PIA Project officially launched in the Fall of 2022. See links to key presentations that have traced our evolution below. This page will be updated as the 2023-24 year unfolds.

  1. Project launch at Convergence, October 2022
  2. Project presentation at ASBOA Issues Forum, December 2022
  3. Project update at Emerge Symposium, May 2023
  4. Project update at Convergence, October 2023 - ATLE announced the launch of ongoing monthly (or so) lunchtime roundtable open conversations with FOIP experts from Cenera. All are welcome to join this network. Register here!

May, 2023 -  ATLE. The Role of Consent in Privacy Management in Schools - timely report developed by Cenera for ATLE on the topic of consent when it comes to the use of third-party apps.

In Phase One of the project, ATLE worked with Common Sense Privacy to learn the processes, both privacy-related and technical, that shape their work. 

We next worked with Alberta privacy leaders at Cenera,

  1. to develop a document that looks at what we mean by "consent" in the privacy context
  2. to develop a tool that can be used to evaluate apps from an Alberta FOIP perspective

Below are the links to these partners.

Common Sense Privacy Program

  • Review software using long form and short form evaluation used by two lawyers
  • 1200-1400 resources already reviewed
  • Provide workshops and training for authority leaders, individuals with direct PIA responsibilities, and teachers

Cenera

  • Experience in FOIPP and privacy in government, health sector, education sector
  • Provide research, training, consulting, and legal advice