Schools urge Washington to restore cybersecurity funding and leadership
On Wednesday, more than 400 school district leaders from across the country signed a petition urging Congress and the White House to restore federal leadership and funding for K-12 cybersecurity and educational technology.
The petition, organized by the nonprofit Consortium for School Networking, highlights several actions President Donald Trump’s administration has taken in the last six months to undermine school cybersecurity programs, including eliminating the Education Department’s Office of Educational Technology. OET helped implement technology in schools, and without the office, the petition says, “states and districts lose central guidance on pressing issues such as responsible AI use, digital design, digital access, and cybersecurity strategy.”
The petition also points to major cuts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the removal of support for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, or MS-ISAC, that provides school systems with “critical lifelines” to prevent and respond to cybersecurity threats. These actions, the petition said, “undermine our schools’ ability to protect students, staff, and learning environments from growing cyber threats.”
The petition urges federal leaders to establish a dedicated federal K-12 cybersecurity grant program, to restore funding for the MS-ISAC and staffing for the Office of Educational Technology, and to recognize K-12 education as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure.
“This overwhelming response from over 400 school districts sends a clear and urgent message to Congress and the Administration: Now is not the time to retreat from protecting our schools,” Keith Krueger, the consortium’s chief executive, said in a news release. “With cybersecurity threats growing, strong federal leadership is essential. As the FY’26 appropriations process continues, we urge policymakers to restore the funding, programs, guidance and tools that districts rely on to keep students safe and learning online.”
