Greenbush K12 Tech Blog

In an ideal world, every school district would have unlimited time, staff, and funding to implement best-in-class cybersecurity controls everywhere . In reality, K–12 IT teams are juggling limited resources, evolving threats, and constant instructional demands. That’s why the goal for most districts shouldn’t be “ perfect security .” It should be minimum viable security, a realistic , sustainable baseline that meaningfully reduces risk without overwhelming staff or breaking classrooms. What Is a Minimum Viable Security Baseline? A Minimum Viable Security (MVS) Baseline is the smallest set of controls a district must maintain to operate safely and responsibly. It answers a critical question: "W hat security measures must be in place so that a single mistake or compromise doesn’t become a district-wide incident ?" This isn’t about adding more tools. It’s about getting the fundamentals right consistently . Why K–12 Needs a Baseline Approach Many districts struggle becau...

When people talk about cybersecurity in K–12 education, the conversation usually lands on old devices, outdated systems , limited budgets, or the lack of advanced tools. And while those challenges are real, they aren't the biggest barrier most districts face. In my experience, the greatest gap in K–12 cybersecurity has nothing to do with firewalls, software, or security controls. It's communication. Technology Isn't the Hard Part. Change Is When a district tightens security, restricts access, or introduces a new control, the pushback usually isn't about the technology itself. It's rarely: "I don't like MFA." "Why can't I install this app? " " Why did you block this extension?" The real frustration tends to be rooted in something else: The change was unexpected. The impact wasn't explained . The "why " behind it wasn't communicated . Most K–12 staff aren't resisting security; they're resisting di...