PJ40 Student Acceptable Use of Technology

Translations

Definitions

For purposes of this procedural directive, “personal electronic device” means any device that a student is in possession of which electronically communicates, sends, receives, stores, reproduces or displays voice and/or text communication or data. These include, but are not limited to, cellular phones, music and media players, gaming devices, tablets, laptop computers and personal digital assistants.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “instructional day” means the period of time between the first scheduled bell and the last scheduled bell of the school day and any other time in which instruction occurs.

General Provisions

Albuquerque Public Schools shall provide computer-related technology resources to its students for educational purposes. The goal of providing these resources is to promote educational excellence. The use of Albuquerque Public Schools technology resources shall be granted to students for the enhancement of education-related functions. Individuals who use the Albuquerque Public Schools network shall consent to be monitored.

Albuquerque Public Schools shall use several procedures to ensure students are protected while using the Internet including, but not limited to, web site filtering. Albuquerque Public Schools shall comply with the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) to address concerns about access to offensive content over the Internet on school and library computers.

It is important to understand that no filtering system is perfect. Due to the nature of the Internet and evolving technology, even with supervision, Albuquerque Public Schools cannot guarantee that students will not reach an inappropriate site. It shall be the student’s responsibility to report any inappropriate site or posting to a school official or teacher.

This procedural directive outlines appropriate use and prohibited activities when using all technology resources and electronic devices. Every student shall follow all of the rules and conditions listed.

Student Acceptable Use of Personal Electronic Devices

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The student who possesses a personal electronic device shall be solely responsible for its care.
Student possession of personal electronic devices on all school campuses, including athletic fields, and school buses, at school-sponsored activities and while the student is under the supervision and control of school district employees shall be permitted. All students may use these devices on campus before school begins and after school ends. In addition, students in high school grades 9-12 may use such devices during their lunch period as determined by the school administration.
These devices shall be kept out of sight and powered off or silenced during the school day and during any school-sponsored activity, meeting or practice held on Albuquerque Public Schools property. The requirement that personal electronic devices be turned off may not apply in the following circumstances when the student obtains prior approval from the principal or his/her designee:
1. The student or a family member has a special medical circumstance.
2. The student is using the device for an educational or instructional purpose with the teacher’s permission and supervision.
Personal electronic devices shall be permitted on school buses, as authorized by the driver. Use of the personal electronic device will not be permitted if it causes a disruption on the school bus.
Student use of personal electronic devices shall be prohibited in areas including, but not limited to, locker rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, and swimming pool areas.
Students shall not use personal electronic devices on school property or at a school-sponsored activity to access and/or view internet websites that are otherwise blocked to students at school. Blocked sites include, but are not limited to, social networking site.
Student use of personal electronic devices that disrupt the instructional day may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device. When a personal electronic device is confiscated, it shall only be released and/or returned to the student’s parent/legal guardian. It is the student’s parent/legal guardian’s responsibility to retrieve the device according to school procedures.

Unauthorized Use

Unauthorized use of personal electronic devices includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Possessing, viewing, sending or sharing video or audio information having sexual, violent or threatening content on school grounds, school events or school busses shall be prohibited and may result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the personal electronic device.
Transmitting school materials for unethical purposes such as cheating.
Any activity that may be in violation of the Albuquerque Public Schools Bullying Prevention policy and procedural directive.

District Staff Rights and Responsibilities

Albuquerque Public Schools shall not be responsible for the theft, loss or damage to personal electronic devices brought to school by a student while the device is under the student’s care. The school where the personal electronic device is confiscated shall be responsible for the theft, loss or damage of personal electronic devices if the district employee demonstrated reckless disregard for internal procedures developed by the school. The school shall be responsible for the theft loss or damage of personal electronic devices confiscated by district staff if the school has not developed internal procedures.
The school shall develop internal procedures for staff concerning confiscation of personal electronic devices. These procedures shall include, but are not limited to, expectations that the staff will immediately secure the device and turn the device into the school designated location, develop a process for parents/legal guardians to retrieve devices, and record when the device was confiscated and why.
District staff may confiscate personal electronic devices when such devices are being used in violation of this procedural directive and/or internal school procedure. Upon confiscation, district staff shall follow all district and school procedural directives and processes.
District staff may search confiscated personal electronic devices and examine the content of students’ personal electronic devices when there is reasonable suspicion of unauthorized or illegal use of the devices and may turn the devices over to the proper authorities for further investigation when warranted. When determining if a search is appropriate, district staff shall ensure the following conditions are met before conducting the search:
1. The search is reasonable at its inception. That is, when the context is such that it is clear that the student or students are clearly misusing the device, and that the search of content would turn up evidence of the violation.
2. The scope of the search of the content is reasonably related to the objective of the search and is appropriate in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the suspected violation.

Acceptable Use of Networks, Including the Internet

Social Media/Social Networking

Student use of social media or social networking that disrupts the instructional process may result in disciplinary action. Proper behavior, as it relates to the use of computers, is no different from proper behavior in all other aspects of Albuquerque Public Schools activities. All users shall use the computers and computer networks in a responsible, ethical, and polite manner. Violation of this procedural directive shall be grounds for school disciplinary action.

Email

Email services and systems may be provided by Albuquerque Public Schools. The data stored in these systems shall be considered the property of Albuquerque Public Schools. As such, all messages created, sent, received or stored in the systems shall be considered the property of Albuquerque Public Schools, except for any data covered by copyright or other legal property protection.

Internet

The Internet and other on-line resources provided by Albuquerque Public Schools shall be used to support the instructional program and further student learning. The goal of providing these resources is to promote educational excellence.

The Internet is a network of many types of communication and information. While the Internet creates new opportunities for learning, research, communication and collaboration, it also creates new responsibilities for Albuquerque Public Schools’ students.

Internet Safety Education

Albuquerque Public Schools Internet safety includes Internet safety education. Specifically, the Internet safety education shall include lessons on cyber-bullying awareness and response as well as teaching appropriate online behaviors for students. Students shall be instructed in appropriate use of district technology resources.

Student Internet Safety

Students shall not disclose their full name or any other personal contact information for any purpose on the Internet. Personal contact information includes address, telephone, or school address. Students shall not share or post privacy-revealing personal information about themselves or other people. Students shall tell their teacher or other school employee about any message they receive that is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable. Students should not delete the message until instructed to do so by a staff member. Students should not provide their passwords to anyone under any condition. Students must immediately tell their teacher if their password is lost or stolen, or if they think someone has gained unauthorized access to their accounts.

Student Responsibilities

The student in whose name an online services account is issued shall be responsible for its proper use at all times. Students shall keep personal account numbers, home addresses and telephone numbers private. Students shall use the system only under their own account number. Passwords are private and not to be shared with others.
The district’s system shall be used for purposes related to education.
Albuquerque Public Schools shall reserve the right to monitor any online communications for improper use. Electronic communications and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user’s account, may be monitored or read by district officials.
Inappropriate online communications may result in cancellation of network privileges.
Only appropriate language shall be used in email, online postings and other digital communications.
Technology resources shall be used responsibly.
1. The network shall not be used for illegal or commercial activities.
2. Users shall not search, retrieve, save, circulate or display hate-based, offensive, sexually explicit, or images or information about weapons.
Students shall be prohibited from accessing, posting, submitting, publishing or displaying harmful material that is threatening, cyber-stalking, obscene, disruptive, or that could be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or political beliefs.
Students shall not use electronic communications to encourage the use of drugs, alcohol, weapons or tobacco, nor shall they promote unethical practices or any activity prohibited by law or district policy.
Vandalism will result in the cancellation of user privileges. Vandalism includes the intentional uploading, downloading or creating computer viruses and/or any malicious attempt to harm or destroy district equipment or materials or the data of any other user.
Students shall not read other users’ email or files; they shall not attempt to delete, copy, modify or forge other users’ mail.
Students shall not assume another person’s identity.
Students shall report any security problems or misuse of the services to the teacher, principal or other Albuquerque Public Schools employee.
Students and parents, and/or legal guardians, shall sign the Acceptable Use Agreement before a student can use the Albuquerque Public Schools’ network.
Students who fail to abide by the district’s rules may be subject to disciplinary action, revocation of their user account and legal action as appropriate.
Students shall not make any attempt to circumvent network security.

Copyright Violations

Copying, selling or distributing copyrighted material without the express written permission of the author or publisher (users should assume that all materials available on the Internet are protected by copyright), and engaging in plagiarism (using other's words or ideas as your own) shall be prohibited.

Privacy

Network and Internet access shall be provided as a tool for education. Albuquerque Public Schools shall reserve the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store, without prior notice, any and all usage of the computer network and Internet access and any and all information transmitted or received in connection with such usage. All such information shall be and remain the property of Albuquerque Public Schools, and no student shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials.

Administrative Position:

Chief Information and Strategy Officer
Associate Superintendents for Leadership and Learning

Department Director:

Executive Director of Educational Technology
Executive Director of Technology
School Principals

References:

Legal Cross Ref.:

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
NM State Internet Usage Rule, Title 1, Chapter 12, Part 10
§22-2-21 NMSA 1978
NMAC 6.12.7.8

Board Policy Cross Ref.:

Procedural Directive Cross Ref.:

Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention

Forms Cross Ref.:

Agreement for Acceptable Use of Networks, Including the Internet

NSBA/NEPN Classification: JICJ

Introduced: April 30, 2010
Approved: May 14, 2010
Reviewed: July 23, 2014
Revised: July 25, 2014
Reviewed: July 14, 2021
Revised: July 21, 2021

Agreement for Acceptable Use of Networks, District-Issued Devices, and the Internet

Parent or Guardian:

As the parent or guardian, I have read the Albuquerque Public Schools Student Acceptable Use of Technology and I have discussed it with my child. I understand that computer access and a district-issued device are provided for educational purposes in keeping with the academic goals of Albuquerque Public Schools, and that student use for any other purpose is inappropriate. I recognize it is impossible for Albuquerque Public Schools to restrict access to all inappropriate materials, and I shall not hold the school responsible for materials acquired on the school network. I hereby give permission for my child to use technology resources issued by, and at Albuquerque Public Schools. I acknowledge that a student may be assessed fines and fees related to damage or loss of district-issued technology assigned to that student.

Parent or Guardian's Name (please print):

Parent or Guardian's Signature and Date Signed:

Student:

I understand and will obey the rules of the Albuquerque Public Schools Student Acceptable Use of Technology. I will use Albuquerque Public Schools technology resources, and my district-issued technology, productively and responsibly for school-related purposes. I will not use any technology resources in such a way that would be disruptive or cause harm to other users. I understand that Albuquerque Public Schools administrators will deem what conduct is inappropriate use if such conduct is not specified in this agreement. I acknowledge that I may be assessed fines and fees related to damage or loss of district-issued technology assigned to that student.

Student Signature and Date Signed:

This page was last updated on: May 19, 2010.