STAFF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY

STAFF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY

po7540.04Adopted November 10, 2009Revised February 11, 2025

7540.04 - STAFF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY

Technology has fundamentally altered the ways in which information is accessed, communicated, and transferred in society.   As a result, educators are continually adapting their means and methods of instruction, and the way they approach student learning, to incorporate the vast, diverse, and unique resources available through the Internet. The School Board provides School Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources (as defined by Bylaw 0100 - Definitions) to support the educational and professional needs of its staff and students. The Board provides staff with access to the Internet for limited educational purposes only and utilizes online educational services/apps to enhance the instruction delivered to its students and to facilitate the staff’s work. The  Corporation’s computer network and Internet system do not serve as a public access service or a public forum, and the Board imposes reasonable restrictions on its use consistent with its limited educational purpose.

The Board regulates the use of Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources by principles consistent with applicable local, State, and Federal laws, and the Corporation’s educational mission. This policy, its related administrative guidelines, Board Policy 7544 - Use of Social Media and AG 7544 - Use of Social Media, and any applicable employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements govern the staffs’ use of the Corporation’s Technology Resources and Information Resources and staff’s personal communication devices (PCDs) when they are connected to the Corporation’s computer network, Internet connection and/or online educational  apps and services, or when used while the staff member is on Corporation-owned property or at a Corporation-sponsored activity (see Board Policy 7530.02 - Web Content, Apps and Services).

Users are prohibited from engaging in actions that are illegal (such as libel, slander, vandalism, harassment, theft, plagiarism, inappropriate access, and the like) or unkind (such as personal attacks, invasion of privacy, injurious comment, and the like) when using Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources. Because its Technology Resources are not unlimited, the Board also has instituted restrictions aimed at preserving these resources, such as placing limits on use of bandwidth, storage space, and printers.

Users have no right to or expectation of privacy when using Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources (including but not limited to privacy in the content of their personal files, e-mails, and records of their online activity when using the Corporation's computer network and/or Internet connection).

Staff members are expected to utilize Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources to promote educational excellence in our schools by providing students with the opportunity to develop the resource sharing, innovation, and communication skills and tools that are essential to both life and work. The Board encourages the faculty to develop the appropriate skills necessary to effectively access, analyze, evaluate, and utilize these resources in enriching educational activities. The instructional use of the Internet and online educational services will be guided by Board Policy 2520 - Selection of Instructional Materials and Equipment.

The Internet is a global information and communication network that provides students and staff with access to up-to-date, highly relevant information that will enhance their learning and the education process. Further, Corporation Technology Resources provides students and staff with the opportunity to communicate with other people from throughout the world. Access to such an incredible quantity of information and resources brings with it, however, certain unique challenges and responsibilities.

The Corporation may not be able to technologically limit access to services through its Technology Resources to only those that have been authorized for the purpose of instruction, study and research related to the curriculum. Unlike in the past when educators and community members had the opportunity to review and screen materials to assess their appropriateness for supporting and enriching the curriculum according to adopted guidelines and reasonable selection criteria (taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students who would be exposed to them), access to the Internet, because it serves as a gateway to any publicly available file server in the world, opens classrooms and students to electronic information resources which may not have been screened by educators for use by students of various ages.

The Board prohibits the sending, receiving, viewing, or downloading of materials that are harmful to minors on computers and other technology related devices owned or leased by the Corporation or connected to the Corporation's computer network.

The Board prohibits an employee from using Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources to:

  1. engage in lobbying (as defined in I.C. 2-7-1-9) that is outside the scope of the employee's duties;
  2. engage in illegal activity; or
  3. violate the Corporation's cybersecurity policy (if applicable).

Pursuant to Federal law, the Corporation has implemented technology protection measures, that protect against (e.g., filter or block) access to visual displays/depictions that are obscene, constitute child pornography, and/or are harmful to minors, as defined by the Children’s Internet Protection Act or I.C. 35-49-2-2. At the discretion of the Board or Superintendent, the technology protection measures may be configured to protect against access to other material considered inappropriate for students to access. The Board also utilizes software and/or hardware to monitor online activity of students to restrict access to child pornography and other material that is obscene, objectionable, inappropriate and/or harmful to minors. The technology protection measures may not be disabled at any time that students may be using Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources if such disabling will cease to protect against access to materials that are prohibited under the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Any staff member who attempts to disable the technology protection measures without express written consent of an appropriate administrator will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

The Superintendent or Technology Director may unblock temporarily or permanently access to websites or online education apps and services containing appropriate material, if access to such sites has been inappropriately blocked by the technology protection measures. The determination of whether material is appropriate or inappropriate shall be based on the content of the material and the intended use of the material, not on the protective actions of the technology protection measures. The Superintendent or Technology Director also may disable the technology protection measures to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

Staff members will participate in professional development programs in accordance with the provisions of law and this policy. Training shall include:

  1. the safety and security of students while using e-mail, chat rooms, social media, and other forms of direct electronic communications;

  2. the inherent danger of students disclosing personally identifiable information online;

  3. the consequences of unauthorized access (e.g., "hacking", "harvesting", "digital piracy", "data mining, "etc.), cyberbullying and other unlawful or inappropriate activities by students online; and

  4. unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors.

Furthermore, staff members shall provide instruction for their students regarding the appropriate use of technology and online safety and security as specified above, and staff members will monitor students’ online activities while at school.

Monitoring may include, but is not necessarily limited to, visual observations of online activities during class sessions; or use of specific monitoring tools to review browser history and network, server, and computer logs.

The disclosure of personally identifiable information about students online is prohibited.

Building principals are responsible for providing training so that users under their supervision are knowledgeable about this policy and its accompanying guidelines. The Board expects that staff members will provide guidance and instruction to students in the appropriate use of the Corporation Technology Resources. All users of Corporation Technology Resources are required to sign a written agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

Staff will be assigned a school email address that they are required to utilize for all school-related electronic communications, including those to students, parents, and other constituents, fellow staff members, and vendors or individuals seeking to do business with the Corporation.

With prior approval from the Superintendent or Director of Technology, staff may direct students who have been issued school-assigned email accounts to use those accounts when signing-up/registering for access to various online educational services, including mobile applications and apps and services that will be utilized by the students for educational purposes under the teacher’s supervision.

Staff members are responsible for good behavior on Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources, i.e., behavior comparable to that expected when they are in classrooms, in school hallways, on other school premises, and at school-sponsored events.

Communications on Education Technology are often public in nature. The Board does not approve any use of its Technology Resources and Information Resources that is not authorized by or conducted strictly in compliance with this policy and its accompanying guidelines and Board Policy 7544 - Use of Social Media and its accompanying guidelines. 

Staff members’ use of Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources to access or use social media shall be consistent with Board Policy 7544 - Use of Social Media and its accompanying guidelines.

An employee's personal or private use of social media may have unintended consequences. While the Board respects its employees' First Amendment rights, those rights do not include permission to post inflammatory comments that could compromise the Corporation's mission, undermine staff relationships, or cause a substantial disruption to the school environment. This warning includes staff members' online conduct that occurs off school property, including from the employee's private computer. Postings to social media should be done in a manner sensitive to the staff member's professional responsibilities.

General school rules for behavior and communication apply.

Users who disregard this policy and its accompanying guidelines may have their use privileges suspended or revoked, and disciplinary action may be imposed against them. Users are personally responsible and liable, both civilly and criminally, for uses of Technology Resources and Information Resources not authorized by this Board Policy and its accompanying guidelines. Users who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

The Board designates the Superintendent and the Building Principals as the administrators responsible for initiating, implementing, and enforcing this policy and its accompanying guidelines as they apply to staff members' use of Corporation Technology Resources and Information Resources.

Social Media Use

In addition, Federal and State confidentiality laws forbid schools and their employees from using or disclosing student education records without parent consent (see Board Policy 8330 - Student Records). Education records include a wide variety of information, and posting personally identifiable information about students is not permitted. Staff members who violate State and Federal confidentiality laws or privacy laws related to the disclosure of confidential student or employee information may be disciplined.

Nothing in this policy is intended to interfere with any school employee’s rights under applicable law with respect to union organizing or collective bargaining.

Use of Artificial Intelligence/Natural Language Processing Tools

Staff are permitted to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools (collectively, "AI/NLP tools") to accomplish their job responsibilities so long as the use is ethical, responsible, and does not violate any provisions of this policy (e.g., it does not infringe on students' or staff members' privacy rights, violate their duty to maintain confidentiality related to personally identifiable information, etc.

With respect to students, it is the Board's policy that they are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and resources when completing school work. In order to ensure the integrity of the educational process and to promote fair and equal opportunities for all students, except as outlined below, students are prohibited from using AI/NLP tools to complete school work. The use of AI/NLP tools without the express permission/consent of a teacher is considered to undermine the learning and problem-solving skills that are essential to a student's academic success and that the staff is tasked to develop in each student. Consequently, students are encouraged to develop their own knowledge, skills, and understanding of course material rather than relying solely on AI/NLP tools, and they are expected to ask their teachers when they have questions and/or need assistance. A student's unauthorized use of AI/NLP tools is considered a form of plagiarism, and any student found using such tools without permission or in a prohibited manner will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Notwithstanding the preceding, students are allowed to use AI/NLP tools in the school setting if they receive prior permission/consent from their teacher, so long as they use the AI/NLP tools in an ethical and responsible manner. Teachers have the discretion to authorize students to use AI/NLP tools for the following uses:

  1. Research assistance: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students quickly and efficiently search for and find relevant information for their school projects and assignments.
  2. Data Analysis: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students to analyze, understand, and interpret large amounts of data, such as text documents or social media posts. This can be particularly useful for research projects or data analysis assignments, e.g., scientific experiments and marketing research.
  3. Language translation: AI/NLP tools can be used to translate texts or documents into different languages, which can be helpful for students who are learning a new language or for students who are studying texts written in a different language.
  4. Writing assistance: AI/NLP tools can provide grammar and spelling corrections, as well as suggest alternative word choices and sentence structure, to help students improve their writing skills.
  5. Accessibility: AI/NLP tools can be used to help students with disabilities access and understand written materials. For example, text-to-speech software can help students with specific learning disabilities or visual impairments to read texts and AI-powered translation tools can help students with hearing impairments to understand spoken language.

As outlined above, under appropriate circumstances, AI/NLP tools can be used effectively as a supplement to but not a replacement for traditional learning methods. Consequently, with prior teacher permission/consent, students can use AI/NLP tools to help them better understand and analyze information and/or access course materials. If a student has any questions about whether they are permitted to use AI/NLP tools for a specific class assignment, they should ask their teacher.

This policy shall be posted on the Corporation's website.

Cross References
po0100 - DEFINITIONS
po2520 - SELECTION OF CURRICULAR MATERIALS, SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT
po7530.02 - STAFF USE OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES
po7540 - TECHNOLOGY
po7544 - USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
po7540.09 - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
po8330 - STUDENT RECORDS
ag7544 - USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Revised 8/8/11
Revised 7/10/12
Revised 11/11/14
Revised 1/14/20
Revised 1/11/22

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