Paper shredding is an efficient and secure way for teachers to eliminate sensitive information efficiently. Teachers are inundated with thousands of papers each school year, some containing private information that must be disposed of in specific ways. Due to stringent privacy laws, paper shredding for teachers, alongside the proper management of documents, can feel complicated. Shredding in-house is not always the most secure or the best use of time for staff. Shred Nations is connected to a nationwide network of destruction providers who are versed in the specific laws that educators and school facilities must follow when shredding.
Benefits of Professional Shredding for Educators
Professional shredding can sometimes seem unnecessary when office shredders exist. However, professional shredding services come with a host of benefits of educational institutions that aim to keep children and families safe.
Regulations, Privacy, and Compliance
There are certain laws that must be followed when handling the information of minors and students.
State Data Breach Notification and Records Retention Laws
Most states have specific laws that outline protocols for data breach notifications, retention of documents, and disposal of records. Schools are often provided with guidance in order to properly notify families in the event of a data breach and retain documents for the appropriate amount of time.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy and accessibility of education records. The law outlines who has access to student records, including parents. Educators and schools must be aware of what information needs to be retained, for how long, and in what form (paper or electronic). Schools may even have their own policies surrounding information destruction for their staff. Teachers must ensure that any documents containing personally identifiable information (PII) of students are shredded properly to prevent unauthorized access. Shred Nations is able to match you with a provider who is versed in FERPA and retention policy for shredding in schools.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA is a federal law that protects private health information. Teachers may need to shred documents containing health information in order to maintain compliance and protect the security of students.
Efficiency and Cost Savings
Professional paper shredding services end up saving hours, and even days, of time for teachers and administrators. In-house paper shredders can be convenient for just a few documents, but they are not adequate for the volume of files schools produce. This time spent shredding costs schools money every year. Office shredders frequently jam and break, adding time to shredding tasks and potentially losing money over time in repairs. Additionally, shredding by hand is not always secure. The individual shredding has access to the information on the pages they are feeding into the machine.
Shredding companies are scrupulous about the privacy of their customers. Whether a client opts for mobile or off site destruction, no destruction employee ever comes into direct contact with the files. Shred Nations can assist you in scheduling one-time purges for documents or an ongoing program at your desired frequency.
Shredding Process
The professional shredding process is easy and efficient for teachers and administrators.
- Survey: Determine how many documents and files need to be shredded. If applicable, decide if an ongoing service may be necessary for your school or classroom.
- Get in touch: Contact Shred Nations by filling out the form or giving us a call (800) 747-3365. One of our friendly team members will match you with multiple free quotes for your project and answer any questions you may have about the shredding process and necessary services.
- Schedule: Members of our nationwide network of providers will contact you. You choose which service you prefer and schedule directly with them.
- Relax: The provider arrives at the scheduled time to pick up your documents to take to a secure destruction facility or to shred on site in a shred truck.
- Certificate of Destruction: After professional services, your organization will receive a certificate of destruction for your records.
Shred Nations has Solutions for Teachers
Shred Nations has extensive experience matching teachers and schools with secure shredding solutions across the US and Canada. The privacy of children and families is critical. Because schools handle large amounts of personal information, it is important to have a set document management system in place, including shredding. To get started today, fill out the form on this page or give us a call (800) 747-3365. Find the most affordable local provider for your exact needs when you use Shred Nations.
