Internet Safety in Schools

Acceptable Internet Use Policy

Virginia K-12 educators and students use instructional resources via LAN, WAN, the Internet, and other electronic devices. Administrators, teachers, library media specialists, and students must monitor the use of technologies for grade-level and content appropriateness, ethics, and safety.

Schools and divisions are required to establish guidelines for appropriate technology use. These guidelines generally are called acceptable use policies (AUP). By definition, an AUP is a written agreement signed by students, their parents/caregivers, and their teachers. It outlines the terms and conditions for using technology-based devices maintained by schools and personal technology-based devices used during school hours on school property.

To assist schools and divisions with developing an AUP, the Virginia Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology maintains links to related resources. These links include AUP samples and information about specific AUP components, such as Internet filtering, cyber ethics, and cyber safety.

Legislation approved by the 2006 General Assembly and signed by Governor Kaine requires that each division's AUP include an Internet safety component. In response to this legislation, the Office of Educational Technology developed Guidelines and Resources for Internet Safety in Schools (PDF) to help divisions address Internet safety.

The links below are not exhaustive but represent the wide sampling of sources available to educators. Every effort has been made to validate each URL referenced; however, information on the Internet does appear, disappear, and change over time. If you discover that a URL has changed, please send a message to WebMaster@doe.virginia.gov. If you have comments or suggestions about content, please contact the Office of Educational Technology at 804-225-2855.

NOTE: External sites are not endorsed by the Virginia Department of Education.

Components

An AUP must address (1) access to and transmission of data and information within the K-12 environment and (2) any technology-based device in the school or personal device brought into the school. It must include the following components:

Description of the instructional philosophies and strategies to be supported by Internet access in schools
Statement on the educational uses and advantages of the Internet in a school or division
Statement that the AUP complies with state and federal telecommunication codes, laws, and regulations
Statement regarding the need to comply with fair-use laws and other copyright regulations while accessing and utilizing the Internet and other network materials and resources
Disclaimer absolving the school division, under specific circumstances, from responsibility
List of the roles and responsibilities of division personnel, community stakeholders, parents, and students for using the Internet and other electronic-based resources
Description of the safety measures currently in place and those measures planned for emerging technologies not currently deployed in the system
Description of the methods by which the division ensures data and network security
Description of prohibited forms of technology-based applications and hardware use by employees and students in addition to details of associated penalties (including clear definitions of acceptable online behavior and access privileges—reflecting any circumstances unique to a specific school or division)
Description of the procedures to address breaches of Internet and intranet security and safety, including legal actions to be taken
Description of the ongoing professional development opportunities for each stakeholder group and associated needs assessments and evaluations
Description of the community outreach activities and associated needs assessments and evaluations
Description of the procedures for evaluating and revising the AUP
Signature form for teachers, parents, and students indicating their intentions to abide by the AUP

Outside Resources

AUP Components
- Model Acceptable Use Policy
  Cybercrime.gov
- Getting Started on the Internet: Developing an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
  Education World
- Who's Got Mail: Policy advice on staff and student e-mail
  Electronic School, article by Kathleen Vail
- Acceptable Use Policies (PDF)
  iSAFE
- Acceptable Use Policies
  Northwest Educational Technology Consortium
- Blogging Policies and Resources Wiki
  Bud the Teacher, wiki by Bud Hunt
Professional Development Initiatives
- Lesson Plans: Understand Your Acceptable Use Policy
  CyberSmart!
- Web Awareness for Teachers: Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use
  Media Awareness Network
Samples
In preparing your AUP, it is helpful to review those from other schools or divisions. They can be used as templates; however, modify them to fit your particular needs. The following links offer various examples of AUP from other states.
- Acceptable Use Policy Guidelines and State Requirements for Student and Staff Access to Electronic Information Resources
  Kentucky Department of Education
- Massachusetts Online Network for Education (MassONE): Acceptable Use Policy and Guidelines
  Massachusetts Department of Education
- Sample Internet Usage Policy
  Oklahoma State Department of Education
- Links: Acceptable Use Policies
  ESC Region 2 ( Texas)
- Developing an Acceptable Use Policy
  Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Templates
Signature, consent, or release forms and agreements are vital to successful AUP implementation. These forms require signatures from teachers, parents, and students, indicating their intentions to abide by the AUP.
- Sample Acceptable Use Agreements and Policies
  National Center for Education Statistics
- Acceptable Use Policy—Permission Forms
  Project Interconnect
- Internet Use Policies
  Davis School District ( Utah)
- Student agreement for Somerset Hills School District Internet Access Account
  Somerset Hills School District ( New Jersey)
- Student Acceptable Use Policy Consent Form
  Monroe Township Public Schools ( New Jersey)
Filtering
Various laws mandate Internet filtering on school and library computers. Legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly required state schools to implement filtering in public schools by July 1, 2001. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), passed by Congress in December 2000, applies to all schools and libraries that receive E-rate discounts for Internet access and internal connections. On April 5, 2001, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued regulations for schools and libraries receiving non-telecommunications E-rate discounts.

The following links provide additional information about filtering options:
- 2007 Internet Filter Report
  TopTenREVIEWS
- Meeting CIPA Requirements with Technology
  American Library Association, article by Richard W. Boss
- Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse: School District Options for Providing Access to Appropriate Internet Content
  CoSN; note that this site is longer updated
Ethics
- Cyberethics and The Big6™: Responsible Use in Action
  Big6.com
- Play It Cyber Safe: Types of Cybercrime
  Business Software Alliance
- Welcome to CSRIU
  Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use (home page)
- Copyright with Cyberbee
  Cyberbee (The Virtual University Professional Development Partnership, Columbus Education Association and Otterbein College)
- CyberSmart! Manners
  CyberSmart Education Company
- Copyright
  Orange County (CA) Department of Education, Schools Legal Service
- Netiquette Home Page
  Albion.com, featuring Virginia Shea's book Netiquette
- Copyright
  U.S. Copyright Office
- Cyberethics
  U.S. Department of Justice, Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section
- Welcome to the Digital Primer
  University of Maryland
- Cyberethics, Cybersecurity and Cybersafety
  Cyberethics, Cybersecurity and Cybersafety (C3™) Institute ( University of Maryland, Educational Technology Outreach)
- Crash Course in Copyright
  Georgia K. Harper ( University of Texas)
- Web Resources for CyberEthics
  Virginia Career and Technical Education Resource Center
- For Use with Students
  - Cyber Tree House
    Business Software Alliance
  - Copyright Kids
    Copyright Society of the U.S.A.
  - The INTERNET: Know Before You Go Into Cyberspace!
    U.S. Department of Justice
Safety
- Computer Technology Standards of Learning For Virginia's Public Schools
  Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Education
- Guidelines and Resources for Internet Safety in Schools (PDF)
  Virginia Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology

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