Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to determine if District officials adequately safeguarded personal, private and sensitive information (PPSI) in the student information system (SIS) for the period July 1, 2015 through July 31, 2016.

Background

The Holland Patent Central School District is located in the Towns of Deerfield, Floyd, Marcy, Remsen, Steuben, Trenton and Western in Oneida County and the Town of Russia in Herkimer County. The District, which operates four schools with approximately 1,500 students, is governed by an elected five-member Board of Education. Budgeted appropriations for the 2015-16 fiscal year totaled approximately $31 million.

Key Findings

• District officials granted unnecessary permissions for changing student grades, assuming accounts and identities, and viewing PPSI.
• The SIS allows users to assume other users’ accounts and identities.

Key Recommendations

• Evaluate permissions currently granted to each SIS user and remove any deemed unnecessary.
• Limit the ability to assume other SIS users' accounts and identities to those individuals that have a job-related need for this function and monitor for inappropriate activity.