HJ0108 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0108 LRB101 15289 MST 64466 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to The K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center (Center), there were 122 cataloged publicly-disclosed cybersecurity incidents affecting 199 public K-12 education agencies across 38 states during calendar year 2018; and

WHEREAS, The Center reports that there is a new publicly-reported incident every three days of the calendar year; and

WHEREAS, Primarily, the cyber incidents reported in 2018 were data breaches, including the unauthorized disclosure of data due to human error, by vendors in partnership with school districts, by students to modify student records, and by external actors, often for malicious purposes; and

WHEREAS, This increase in cyber threats directed at school districts continued into 2019, including in Illinois where school districts across the State have been hit by cybersecurity breaches; and

WHEREAS, In August 2019, the personal information of 53,000 students and 3,100 educators in Naperville District 203 and Indian Prairie District 204 was exposed following a data breach in connection to student assessments; and

WHEREAS, In September 2019, Rockford Public Schools were without Internet or access to student records for several days following a ransomware attack; and

WHEREAS, The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for the State of Arkansas recently created the P-12 Cyber Threat Response Team (Team), a small group of IT professionals who provide onsite support at no cost to a school district whenever an Arkansas school district is faced with a cyber threat; and

WHEREAS, The Team works to ensure that school districts know they are not alone when faced with a cyber threat and to increase communication between schools and other interested entities; and

WHEREAS, In the face of constant cybersecurity threats, which are only going to increase in future years as the use of technology and the Internet become ever more prevalent in schools across the United States, it is imperative that Illinois works to protect school personnel, students, and their families from unauthorized data breaches and cybersecurity threats; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Illinois State Board of Education, by the 2020-2021 school year, to establish a P-12 Cyber Threat Response Team within the State Board of Education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the P-12 Cyber Threat Response Team shall provide assistance to public schools, early childhood providers, and special education facilities across the State when faced with a cybersecurity threat; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Darren Reisberg, Chair of the State Board of Education, and Dr. Carmen Ayala, State Superintendent of Education.