Advances in telecommunications and other related technologies have fundamentally altered the ways in which information is accessed, communicated, and transferred in our society. Such changes are driving the need for educators to adapt their means and methods of instruction, and the way they approach student learning, to harness and utilize the vast, diverse, and unique resources available on the Internet. The Board of Education is pleased to provide Internet service to its staff. The Board encourages staff to utilize the Internet in order to promote educational excellence in our schools by providing them with the opportunity to develop the resource sharing, innovation, and communication skills and tools which will be essential to life and work in the 21st century. Technology must be interwoven with educational improvements and reform to accomplish educational goals, increase student achievement and provide increased opportunities for lifelong learning. The Board encourages the staff to develop the appropriate skills necessary to effectively access, analyze, evaluate, and utilize these resources. The instructional use of the Internet will be guided by the Board's policy on Instructional Materials.

The use of Internet must be in support of education and consistent with the educational objectives of the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE). Use of other networks or computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for that network. Users must also be in compliance with the rules and regulations of the West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing (WVNET) specifically the: "WVNET Security Policy and Procedure."

The Internet is an electronic highway connecting computers and users in the County with computers and users worldwide. Access to the Internet enables staff members to explore thousands of libraries, databases, and bulletin boards, while exchanging messages with people throughout the world. Access to such an incredible quantity of information and resources brings with it, however, certain unique challenges.

First, and foremost, the Board may not be able to technologically limit access to services through the Board's Internet connection 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, will open classrooms and students to electronic information resources which have not been screened by educators for use by students of various ages.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and WVNET operate the Statewide infrastructure to provide Internet access for all Pre-k-12 public schools. In accordance with State purchasing guidelines, filtering will be installed at the State level at the two (2) points of presence (POPs) for Internet access. This will provide filtering for all public schools in a cost effective manner and with efficient management.

With approval of the Board, schools may add other electronic filters at the local level.

The system utilized by the Board will organize technical protection measures to guard against visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors. The Superintendent or Director of Technology may disable the technology protection measures under the control of the Board to enable access for bona file research or other lawful purposes.

The Superintendent is directed to prepare guidelines which address students' safety and security while using e-mail, chat rooms and other forms of direct electronic communication, and prohibit disclosure of personal identification information of minors and unauthorized access (e.g., "hacking") and other unlawful activities by minors online. Staff members are reminded that personally identifiable student information is confidential and may not be disclosed in contravention of the Federal and State laws and policies applicable thereto.

Building principals are responsible for providing training so that Internet 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 Internet. All Internet users are required to sign a written agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of this policy and its accompanying guidelines.

Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S. or State law or regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyrighted material, threatening, abusive, or obscene material, or material protected by trade secrets. Use for commercial activities by for-profit institutions is generally not acceptable. Use of product advertisement or political lobbying is also prohibited. Illegal activities and privacy and safety violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) are strictly prohibited.

Staff members are responsible for good behavior on Board's computers/network and the Internet just as they are in classrooms, school hallways, and other school premises and school sponsored events. Communications on the Internet are often public in nature. General school rules including the Employee and Student Code of Conduct for behavior and communication apply. The Board does not sanction any use of the Internet that is not authorized by or conducted strictly in compliance with this policy and its accompanying guidelines. Users who disregard this policy and its accompanying guidelines may have their use privileges suspended or revoked, and disciplinary action taken against them. Users granted access to the Internet through the Board's computers assume personal responsibility and liability, both civil and criminal, for uses of the Internet not authorized by this policy and its accompanying guidelines. All student use of Internet-related applications must be authorized by the educator.

Specific examples of unauthorized use include, but are not limited to:

The use and administration of a network servers for Internet connection within the County or school is the responsibility of the educator(s) and administrator(s) at the location of the server. It is their responsibility to ensure that all activities and/or functions of the server involve appropriate school activities. All administrative functions and/or file maintenance to the server are the responsibility of the educator/administrator at that location. At no point should a student be given administrative responsibilities for a server with a wide-area network or Internet connection.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and WVNET can only monitor those e-mail accounts issued to the "access.k.12.wv.us" server, which is administered by WVDE and WVNET. The responsibility for any "non-access.k12.ww.us" e-mail accounts lies with the administrator(s) and/or educator(s) identified as responsible for those students using alternative e-mail accounts or the administrator(s) and/or educator(s) identified as responsible for the e-mail server being used.

All access to "Dial-up" servers located at the County or school building and connected to a wide area network and/or the Internet is the responsibility of the administrator(s) and/or educator(s) identified as responsible for the servers. Dial-up access of any kind is only to used when specific educational goals have been identified and is not to be in direct competition with local Internet service providers. Additionally, all "dial-up" servers must not conflict with Federal, State and local guidelines for appropriate Internet access.

Those server administrators or technical contacts requesting domain names for local servers must apply to the WVDE through an application process. Those receiving a domain name must follow all guidelines detailed as part of the application process, including the adoption of a current safety and acceptable use policy.

The WVDE's administrative information systems (WVEIS) are to used exclusively for the business of the organization. All information system messages are records of the WVDE. The WVDE has reserved the right to access and disclose all messages sent over its information systems for any purposes. For reasons of privacy, employees may not attempt to gain access to another employee's personal file of messages in the WVDE's information systems. However, the WVDE has reserved the right to enter an employee's information system files whenever there is a business need to do so.

Based on the acceptable use and safety guidelines outlined in WVBE Policy 2460 WVDE and the WVNET system administrators will determine what is appropriate use, and their decision is final. Also, the system administrator and/or local teachers may deny user access at any time. Additionally, the State of West Virginia may pursue legal action to recover damages as a result of inappropriate use or safety violations of the network.

The Board designates the Superintendent and the Director of Technology as the administrators responsible for initiating, implementing, and enforcing this policy and its accompanying guidelines as they apply to the use of the Network and the Internet for instructional purposes.

WV Board of Education Policy 2460
WV Board of Education Policy 2470
H.R. 4577, P.L. 106-554, Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 
47 U.S.C. 254(h), (1), Communications Act of 1934, as amended
20 U.S.C. 6801 et seq., Part F, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
as amended
18 U.S.C. 2256
18 U.S.C. 1460
18 U.S.C. 2246

Revised 5/6/09