More than 400 school district leaders from across the country are calling on Congress and the Trump administration to restore Federal funding and leadership for K-12 cybersecurity and educational technology.
The leaders signed a petition – organized by the nonprofit Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) – that outlines their concerns and explains that they are being left vulnerable without Federal support.
“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,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN, in a press 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,” Krueger added.
Specifically, the petition calls on Congress to reinstate funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) K-12 cybersecurity programs, such as those provided through the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC).
According to the petition, recent cuts to these programs “remove critical lifelines that school systems have relied on to prevent and respond to cyber threats.”
The school leaders also are calling for the reinstatement of staffing at the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology (OET) to provide continued support for educational technology and cybersecurity in schools.
They also call on Congress to “increase targeted federal investments in cybersecurity infrastructure and services for schools, particularly in rural and underfunded districts.”
Among the petition’s supporters is Gary Lackey, the director of cybersecurity at Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) in Texas. He is also the chair of CoSN’s Cybersecurity Committee.
“Many districts utilize essential cybersecurity resources from CISA and MS-ISAC,” Lackey said. “The combination of technical SOC (Security Operations Center) support, threat intelligence sharing, vulnerability scanning, informational webinars, and many other cybersecurity resources are crucial components of their cybersecurity portfolios. Many districts depend on these resources due to lack of budgets and/or qualified staff.”
