EdTech Magazine | What Minimum Viable Cybersecurity Looks Like for K–12 Districts

This article was originally published in EdTech Magazine on 02/11/26 by Didi Gluck.
As ransomware and phishing attacks grow more sophisticated, districts can’t rely on perimeter defenses alone.
Cybersecurity has become a top priority for K–12 districts, not just to keep students safe online but to ensure continuity across devices, systems and end user accounts. At the same time, many K–12 districts are facing budget constraints, limited staffing and technology experts who are under constant pressure to do more with less.
Given that climate, what is the minimum viable cybersecurity setup a district truly needs today?
According to Charlie Sander, chairman and CEO of ManagedMethods, the answer has shifted dramatically in recent years. And unfortunately, many districts haven’t caught up.
Minimum Viable Cybersecurity Starts in the Cloud
“Minimum viable cybersecurity has fundamentally changed for all organizations and industries, and K–12 is no exception,” Sander says. Two forces are driving that change: the widespread move to cloud computing and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.

“Most districts are relying entirely on their firewall and vendor-provided, native admin tools to secure their data in the cloud. These technologies were not built to protect the cloud layer adequately.”
Charlie Sander, CEO, ManagedMethods
For school districts, cloud platforms such as Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft 365 now sit at the center of nearly everything, from instruction and communication to finance, operations and even building security. Yet many districts are still securing those environments as if they were on-premises systems.
“The top thing I see districts skipping that creates the most risk is their cloud data risk management and protection,” Sander says. “Security at the cloud layer is now minimum viable cybersecurity. Full stop.”
Why Perimeter Security Isn’t Enough Anymore
Historically, districts have relied on network firewalls, secure email gateways and vendor-provided admin tools. But those defenses were never designed to fully protect cloud-based environments.
“Most districts are relying entirely on their firewall and vendor-provided, native admin tools to secure their data in the cloud,” Sander explains. “These technologies were not built to protect the cloud layer adequately.”
And the consequences can be dire given that sensitive information — including student records, health data, Individualized Education Programs and employee Social Security numbers — is now routinely stored and shared across cloud applications, often with limited visibility into how it’s accessed or used…
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The post EdTech Magazine | What Minimum Viable Cybersecurity Looks Like for K–12 Districts appeared first on ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12 authored by Charlie Sander. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/in-the-news-edtech-magazine-minimum-viable-cybersecurity/

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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