On August 8, 2023, First Lady Jill Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardon, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas hosted Back to School Safely: Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools, a summit discussing the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity in the nation’s K-12 schools and educational institutions.
During the event, speakers discussed the importance of collaboration between federal agencies, local and state governments, and educational institutions to address cybersecurity threats. They also emphasized the need for increased funding and resources to support cybersecurity efforts in schools and libraries. Some of the resources discussed at the summit included:
- FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s proposed cybersecurity pilot program
- A Government Coordinating Council established by the Department of Education tasked with coordinating “activities, policy, and communications between, and amongst, federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial education leaders” to strengthen cyber defenses in K-12 schools
- Assessments and training provided by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Commitments from education technology providers for additional resources
The FCC’s briefing may be viewed here, and a recording of the summit livestream may be viewed here.
