Dickson County School Board Approves $37K Cybersecurity Upgrade, Citing Ransomware Risk

Photo: January 22, 2026 Dickson County School Board Meeting

The Dickson County Board of Education approved a significant upgrade to the district’s cybersecurity protections this week, voting to increase technology security spending by $37,982 in response to growing concerns about ransomware attacks and the vulnerability of student and employee data.

The decision came during the board’s Jan. 22, 2026 meeting, where district leaders warned that schools have become increasingly attractive targets for cyberattacks and said the potential financial and operational consequences of a breach could be severe.

“We really need to increase our security,” district officials told the board, citing the volume of sensitive data the school system maintains on students, faculty, and staff.

What the upgrade includes

The approved increase will fund a managed detection and response system, an upgraded cybersecurity service that includes 24/7 monitoring and surveillance—a level of protection the district does not currently have.

Technology staff explained that the new system would actively monitor for suspicious activity around the clock and provide faster response capabilities if a breach attempt is detected.

Large organizations and public entities of similar size, officials said, already rely on this level of continuous monitoring to protect their systems.

Ransomware risk front and center

During the discussion, district leaders were explicit about the risks driving the decision, particularly the growing threat of ransomware attacks on school systems nationwide.

“If we get hacked into,” officials warned, the district could be facing “millions of dollars” in ransom demands tied to the release or restoration of critical data.

Board members were also reminded that the district has experienced a cyber incident in the past. While it was described as a “minor hack,” officials said it served as a clear warning of what could happen if security measures are not strengthened.

“It’s a reality,” one administrator told the board. “We know what can happen.”

How the upgrade will be paid for

Finance staff told the board the cybersecurity upgrade can be covered within the existing technology budget, largely due to a combination of circumstances over the current fiscal year.

An unfilled technology director position left funds unused for several months, and some software purchases came in at lower costs than originally projected. Together, those factors created enough flexibility to absorb the $37,982 increase.

However, officials cautioned that if projections tighten later in the year, the district may need to shift $10,000 to $15,000 from another technology line item to fully cover the cost. Board members were assured that staff would continue to track spending closely and make adjustments if necessary.

Board approval

After discussion, the board voted to approve the cybersecurity upgrade, with members expressing support for taking preventative action rather than reacting to a future breach.

Officials emphasized that while the cost is significant, it is far smaller than the financial, legal, and operational fallout the district could face in the event of a serious cyberattack.