The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) announced on June 16 that it will assume leadership of the Cybersecurity Rubric and Certified Cybersecurity Rubric Evaluator (CCRE) program through a strategic partnership with ClassLink and the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education (CC4E).
The Washington, D.C.-based professional association said in a press release that the move is intended to expand and sustain K-12 cybersecurity maturity efforts nationwide by placing the rubric and evaluator program within CoSN’s national network, advocacy work, and professional development offerings.
“School systems face an increasingly complex threat landscape, and school leaders need actionable, education-specific benchmarks to safeguard their communities,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. “Assuming leadership of the Cybersecurity Rubric and the CCRE program is a natural progression of CoSN’s core mission.”
The Cybersecurity Rubric for Education is a free self-assessment tool designed to help school leaders evaluate current cybersecurity practices, identify gaps, and improve defenses. The rubric aligns with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework and is built on education-specific interpretations of cybersecurity standards. Training on how to use the rubric takes about 2.5 hours and is offered at no cost, according to the rubric website.
The CCRE program allows individuals to complete training and an exam to conduct third-party evaluations for school systems. According to the program’s website, the certification costs $99, includes access to training and the exam, and is valid for three years after a passing score of 85% or higher.
CoSN said the transition is designed to preserve continuity for educators, technology leaders, and CCREs already involved in the program while expanding access to the rubric and training opportunities.
“By integrating this powerful framework into our nationwide network, advocacy efforts, and professional development pipelines, we are giving school districts the standardized tools they need to build true organizational resilience,” Krueger said.
Moving program leadership to CoSN “is a natural evolution of the CC4E initiative,” said Frankie Jackson, CC4E project lead. “The mission, community, and momentum of CC4E remain incredibly strong – and they are now significantly enhanced through CoSN’s national footprint, leadership, and structural support. CoSN is uniquely positioned to take this framework to the next level.”
