More than 50 cities and towns have been affected by ransomware so far this year. That figure, which continues to grow, increasingly includes schools, putting students’ personal data at risk.

As of September 2019, at least 10 school districts have been in the news for their own ransomware attacks, and the U.S. Department of Education reports that hundreds of educational data breaches occur annually.

K–12 schools are already hard-pressed to protect student data under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and to keep students safe from identity theft, fraud and extortion.

Now, some advocates are calling for FERPA, which was established in 1974, to be strengthened and more responsive to the cyber threats of today, including ransomware and data theft.

MORE FROM EDTECH: See how K–12 schools can protect students’ data after graduation day.