Northwest ISD board members were given a detailed update on the district’s long-range technology plan for 2024-29 during their regular meeting on June 24. Chief Technology Officer Cara Carter presented the various components of the plan, with cybersecurity measures taking center stage to safeguard the district’s digital systems and student data.
Carter began by discussing recent cybersecurity incidents in the education sector, including those that disrupted state testing, affected schools across the U.S., and exposed sensitive data records. She then shared statistics on cybersecurity challenges faced by Northwest ISD over the past 90 days, including attacks originating from multiple continents, intrusion events, and denied authentications.
Another key aspect of the plan is data governance, which Carter highlighted as crucial given the rapidly changing nature of data in modern cyber systems. She emphasized that new strategies must be linked to educational outcomes and that components like forward-thinking initiatives, educator professional development, tech-powered learning engagement, and a connected community should all be included in the plan.
Carter stressed that Northwest ISD must remain vigilant and adaptable when it comes to cybersecurity threats over the next five years. She underscored the importance of developing effective strategies to combat cyber attacks and ensuring that strong data governance policies are in place to protect students’ information.
