Advances in educational technology have led to unprecedented accumulation of student information, but there is limited research to inform school practices in protecting student data. At a minimum, school districts must remain in compliance with increasingly complex state and federal laws on student privacy. Moreover, increased cyberattacks on K-12 and growing concerns about the misuse of student data call for additional protections that go beyond legal compliance. However, safeguards of student data should not get in the way of innovative data-driven interventions in improving students' academic and social development. This dissertation explores the complexities of balancing privacy and innovation in public schools. Based on a three-phase exploratory case study, three distinct manuscripts emerged to understand K-12 student data privacy practices in a single school district in Hawai'i from a perspective of diverse district-level and school-level personnel. The first manuscript offers an interdisciplinary review of literature and legislation related to student data privacy in K-12 to reveal national trends and best practices. The second manuscript presents a quantitative anonymous survey of district-level administrators to assess their practices and perceptions at the school district. Using semi-structured interviews with school-level personnel, the third manuscript offers insight into the participants' experiences, as well as barriers and enablers of educational technology implementation at the district. Findings that link the three manuscripts suggest the need for improved communication, increased training, and a shift toward a student-centric data privacy framework. These findings contribute to the literature on student data privacy and provide school districts with recommendations for effective and safe data sharing practices. The dissertation is presented as an alternative model with three manuscripts of publishable quality incorporated as Chapters 3-5. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]