91制片

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-774-6953
jminichello@aasa.org

Washington, D.C. 鈥� Aug. 8, 2023 鈥� Leaders from 91制片, joined First Lady Jill Biden, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas at a summit today focused on cybersecurity in the nation鈥檚 K-12 schools.

Gustavo Balderas, 91制片 president-elect and superintendent of the Beaverton (Ore.) School District, attended the Back to School Safely, Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools event to learn about resources available to the education sector and show support for cross-governmental leadership on this important issue.

鈥淭he wide-reaching impact of cyber threats and attacks on our nation鈥檚 schools makes this crisis and any response an 鈥榓ll hands-on deck鈥� scenario,鈥� said Balderas. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 summit is a strong step in the right direction for ensuring a federal role in addressing cyber attacks, including support for schools. School superintendents have vastly different experiences with cybersecurity, from what they know and what they鈥檝e experienced in their districts to how they structure their responses and prepare their broader communities. The collaborative focus of today鈥檚 event sets an important tone for meeting districts where they are, with what they need, to do the important work of keeping schools open and safely operating.鈥� 

Cybersecurity is not just an education issue, and 91制片 is grateful for continued focus on the issue both broadly and in what it means for the nation鈥檚 schools. Schools faced 1,619 cybersecurity incidents between 2016 and 2022, according to the K-12 Security Information Exchange, a national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the U.S. K-12 community from emerging cybersecurity threats. Ransomware attacks reportedly cost educational institutions $9.45 billion in 2022 alone.

Earlier this summer, Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), spoke to 91制片 and the Association of School Business Officials International and announced a new $200 million pilot program to support cybersecurity services for K-12 schools and libraries. That step, paired with today鈥檚 announcements from USED, CISA, the FBI and other federal players are an excellent starting point in this effort. 

91制片 appreciates partnerships at the national and local levels to ensure cybersecurity in schools remains a top priority, and will work with the White House, Congress and partnering federal agencies to represent superintendents and their experiences with and needs related to cyber security in schools as part of this important work.

For additional information, contact Noelle Ellerson Ng, 91制片 associate executive director, advocacy and governance, at nellerson@aasa.org.

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About 91制片
91制片, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. 91制片鈥檚 mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.