Which practice helps protect student privacy when handling data?

• A. Publishing names with results
• B. Sharing data with non-authorized staff
• C. De-identification of data where possible
• D. Storing data in unsecured locations

Answer: (C)

Protecting student privacy when handling data relies on de-identification. This means removing or masking direct identifiers like names or student IDs and minimizing or rewriting indirect identifiers that could be used to re-identify someone. By replacing identifiers with codes and storing the linkage key separately and securely, you can analyze data and share insights about groups or trends without exposing individual students. This approach preserves the usefulness of the data for evaluation while dramatically reducing the risk of identifying anyone.

Remember that even de-identified data should be handled with safeguards—limit access to those who need it, use aggregated or summarized results when possible, and protect the coded link with strong security. Publishing names, sharing data with people who aren’t authorized, and storing data in unsecured locations all increase privacy risks and should be avoided.