Shad White’s office releases cybersecurity report

State Auditor Shad White’s office Thursday released a cybersecurity report regarding students’ ability to access potentially harmful and explicit materials online.

OSA surveyed school districts throughout the state to determine if they implemented recommendations from a 2017 cybersecurity report from the Office of the State Auditor. Survey results show that the majority of school districts fail to follow through on their written internet policies with effective monitoring of students’ online activities; with an increase in funding allowing for more technology at the student’s hands, the issue will continue to worsen.

“The bottom line from this report is that many school districts comply with the minimum legal standards, but those minimum standards are not enough to guarantee student safety. We still see students able to access pornography, discuss illegal activity, and plan self-harm using state-issued devices,” said Auditor White.

The report also highlights that some school districts, such as Petal, are leading the charge in actively supervising their students’ use of school technology.

Visit the Auditor’s website under the “Reports” tab to find the full report.