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Bill Fitzgerald

Bill Fitzgerald

The inBloom Data Model: What Is A Unique State Identifier?

2 min read

In the inBloom data model, there are four instances where people are tied to what is called a Unique State Identifier.

A Unique State Identifier is defined as:

A unique numeric code assigned to a person by a state education agency.

The people identified by the Unique State Identifier are:

Clearly, inBloom is storing an incredibly large amount of personal data about students, parents, teachers, and staff (and that alone makes me wonder - how would bankers feel if we pushed that much data about their daily activities into a datastore, and then allowed for-profit companies to access that information to make banking more efficient? But I digress). At various points, it has been reported that inBloom is storing Social Security Numbers. inBloom has denied that.

But, after reading through the spec (where there is no mention of Social Security Numbers) it seems like the main unique ID for parents, staff, students, and teachers is this Unique State Identifier. My question is: how many states, if any, use a person's social security number for this? It seems like inBloom is deferring to states on this, but if states are using social security numbers for their unique ids, that changes the conversation.

Does anyone have accurate information on this? Please, if this is completely wrong or off base, let me know.

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0 stars 6 comments

In Michigan, staff, teachers and students are identified by numbers that are separate from a social security number.

Nathan McLaughlin, Mar 29 2013 on funnymonkey.com

To the best of my knowledge:
Student numbers are unique, state required/created, and no SSN

Teachers have a folder (license) # public at state level (searchable) but no SSN public facing but they have it.

Staff (non cert): nothing at state, though background searchable prior to employ by SSN (Same for certified).

Parent (only if a former IA student, but then no SSN assigned by state). No state adult learner ID that I'm aware of, at this time. Volunteer screened same as "staff," when it is appropriate.

Recently retired, Mar 29 2013 on funnymonkey.com

In Florida, state ID for students is their SSN followed by an 'X'.

jeffmason, Mar 29 2013 on funnymonkey.com

NJ does not use SS# for student tracking: https://twitter.com/danielscib/status/317721042560892928

California (or at least Los Angeles) does use SS#: https://twitter.com/DataDiva/status/317636453452611584

bill, Mar 29 2013 on funnymonkey.com

Texas uses Social Security numbers:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/page.aspx?id=3056#9

A social security number (SSN) is generally used to report students in the state system. Most student-identifiable information (including SSN) are protected as confidential by state and federal law. A student who does not have a social security number or whose parents do not wish to disclose it will be assigned a state-issued number. While the preference is to use the SSN (it is easier to track students through a 13 year academic program that may involve a number of transfers), refusing to provide it is not a basis for refusing to enroll an eligible student.

bill, Mar 29 2013 on funnymonkey.com

St. Tammany Parish Schools in Louisiana uses SS numbers as the unique student ID; see http://stpsb.org/news.php?id=3348 And Louisiana is sharing statewide student data w/inBloom, according to the Reuters article.

But this is far from the only risky info being shared; see our blog for just some of the highly sensitive data elements being uploaded into the inBloom/Amazon cloud and potentially shared with vendors. http://shar.es/duFCM

Leonie Haimson, Mar 31 2013 on funnymonkey.com