In a major step to bolster cybersecurity for the nation's schools and libraries, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the establishment of a three-year, $200 million Cybersecurity Pilot Program. Through this initiative, eligible K-12 schools and libraries can apply for funding to procure advanced cybersecurity services, equipment, and training to better safeguard their networks and data from growing cyber threats.
At a high level, the FCC's Cybersecurity Pilot Program include:
- $200 million in funding over 3 years to support cybersecurity for schools and libraries
- Funding for advanced firewalls, endpoint protection, identity management, security monitoring and more
- Per-student and per-library funding budgets, with an emphasis on underserved and Tribal communities
- Schools and libraries can apply even if they don't currently participate in the FCC's E-Rate program
- Pilot participants will report on cybersecurity metrics to help determine future funding needs
You can read the full fact sheet here.
This Pilot Program acknowledges the critical importance of protecting K-12 schools and libraries from increasing cyberattacks that can disrupt learning, expose sensitive data, and incur significant costs and damages. By dedicating funding to strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure and practices, the FCC aims to make schools and libraries more resilient against threats like ransomware, data breaches, and online harms targeting students and educators.
Virtru Supports Access Control Priorities in FCC's Cybersecurity Pilot Program
The FCC's Cybersecurity Pilot Program emphasizes the importance of access control measures in protecting K-12 schools and libraries from cyber threats. The program's Eligible Services List specifically calls out "Network access control" and "Privileged Access Management" as key capabilities schools and libraries should look for when selecting cybersecurity solutions.
Recommended reading: Iron County Schools Ensure Student Safety and Privacy with Virtru
At Virtru, we understand the critical role access control plays in safeguarding sensitive student and educator data. Our data protection platform offers a range of access control features that directly support the priorities outlined in the FCC's Pilot Program:
- Granular access controls: Virtru allows schools to define precisely who can access protected emails and files containing student data, educator and student PII, and other confidential information. Administrators can control forwarding, set expiration dates, and revoke access at any time, ensuring data is only accessible to authorized parties.
- Seamless integration: Virtru's access control capabilities integrate seamlessly with the tools schools use every day, like Google and Microsoft, as well as with their existing network access control systems. This allows schools to extend their access control policies to protect data within their email and file sharing environments.
By providing this granular control over who can access sensitive data and for how long, Virtru helps K-12 schools and libraries meet the access control objectives prioritized in the FCC's Cybersecurity Pilot Program. Our solutions empower educators and administrators to share information securely, while significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and supporting compliance with regulations like FERPA.
Recommended reading: Cohoes City School District Provides Virtru to Teachers, District Admins, HR Teams, and Beyond
School Districts Love Virtru
For over a decade, Virtru has partnered with school districts nationwide, from small rural communities to major metropolitan areas, to protect their most sensitive data. Virtru's powerful encryption and data protection solutions integrate seamlessly with tools schools use every day, like Google and Microsoft, to secure emails and files containing student data, educator PII, special education records, and more.
And… school districts love it. Virtru is simple to deploy, quick to adopt, and affordable for our institutions that benefit from it the most.
“The administration and IT team believe that something as important as data protection should not be reserved for districts that can afford it. Virtru has filled that inequity gap for us, and that's so important.”
- Sunshine Miller, Director of Technology for Newfield Central School District
Recommended reading: Newfield Schools Use Virtru to Close the Inequity Gap for Data Protection
Virtru helps K-12 school districts meet compliance with other regulations like FERPA, COPPA, HIPAA and state student privacy laws. Our data protection solutions empower educators to communicate and collaborate securely, while significantly reducing privacy risks and cyber breach costs.
Book a demo today to see how we can help your district make the most out of new FCC funding.
