Summary #
Status #
- Latest Version: This is the latest framework version that's currently active.
Key changes and items #
- General updates to cybersecurity criteria
- Strengthened the minimum AI safety requirements for interactive sessions by introducing mandatory safety alert message requirements
- Refined the employee screening requirements applicable to staff working directly with students
Dates #
- Original framework publication date: 21-July-2026
- Last update to this post: 21-July-2026
Description #
Key Features and Compliance Areas #
Incorporating major research and development by ESA and members of the ST4S Working Group, the updated framework is designed to more tightly align with the updated principles of the Ministerial Frameworks in Education.
Key features changes:
- Human Resources (HR):
- (HR) category has been enhanced to provide greater emphasis on vendor personnel child safety screening where applicable. These updates strengthen the framework’s ability to assess organisational practices that support student safety and provide clearer guidance on child safety screening requirements for suppliers operating within educational environments.
- The updated controls strengthen the assessment of workforce-related risks and reinforce the framework’s focus on child safety across Australian and New Zealand education sectors.
- Privacy and Functionality (PF):
- (PF) category has been updated to improve visibility of the support features available within products and services. The enhancements introduce greater clarity around built in reporting tools for wellbeing services to help identify persons who may require additional support, enabling schools and education jurisdictions to better understand the wellbeing and support capabilities offered by suppliers.
- These changes improve transparency and help organisations assess the availability of user wellbeing and safety resources.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI):
- (AI) category has been enhanced to assess a school’s ability to manage and control AI features that are available to students. These updates support the safe and responsible adoption of AI technologies in educational environments by providing greater transparency around the governance and management of AI-enabled functionality.
- These additions provide greater visibility of AI governance capabilities and help schools assess whether appropriate controls are available to manage AI-enabled functionality.
- In addition, minor wording refinements have been made across the AI Module to simplify questions and reduce ambiguity for suppliers completing assessments.
Consultation and Feedback #
Providing Feedback #
The ST4S Framework has a consultation and feedback process with a range of interested persons and organisations. Notably our feedback and consultation occurs government agencies in Australia and New Zealand such as the Department of Education in each State/Territory within Australia and the Ministry of Education in New Zealand.
Consultation also occurs with independent and catholic sector school representatives who are members of the ST4S Working Group.
ST4S originally launched in 2019 and is the work of multiple organisations and persons. Cybersecurity, privacy and online safety are rapidly changing and feedback is an important part of the framework. Releases are planned twice a year. Additional updates may occur in the interim.
Feedback is open to:
- App developers / suppliers.
- Academic researchers and independent ethical hackers.
- Advocacy groups (e.g. privacy or human rights advocacy groups etc).
- Industry groups relating to cybersecurity, privacy, safety and software development.
- ST4S Working Group Members (e.g. Department of Education staff, Catholic and Independent sector representatives that are members of the group).
- Government agencies both local (e.g. Australia, New Zealand) and international.
Other Enquiries #
For general enquiries please contact us on our website. For media or press related enquiries, please contact our media team at Education Services Australia Limited (ESA).
