7540.02 - WEB CONTENT, SERVICES, AND APPS

The School Board of Polk County

Bylaws & Policies

Unless a specific policy has been amended and the date the policy was revised is noted at the bottom of that policy, the bylaws and policies of The School Board of Polk County were adopted on November 12, 2013 and were in effect beginning November 12, 2013.

7540.02 - WEB CONTENT, SERVICES, AND APPS
Creating Web Pages/Sites/Services and Apps

The School Board authorizes staff members and students to create web content, apps, and web services (see Bylaw 0100, Definitions) that will be hosted by the Board on its servers or District-affiliated servers and published on the Internet.

The web content, services, and apps must comply with State and Federal law (e.g., copyright laws, Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)), and reflect the professional image/brand of the District, its employees, and students. Web content, services, and apps must be consistent with the Board's mission statement and staff-created web content, services, and apps are subject to prior review and approval of the Superintendent before being published on the Internet and/or utilized with students.

The creation of web content, services, and apps by students must be done under the supervision of an instructional staff member.

The purpose of web content, services, and apps hosted by the Board on its servers or District-affiliated servers is to educate, inform, and communicate. The following criteria shall be used to guide the development of such web content, services, and apps:

	A.	Educate
		Content should be suitable for and usable by students and teachers to support the curriculum and the Board's objectives as listed in the Board's strategic plan.
	B.	Inform
		Content may inform the community about the school, teachers, students, or departments, including information about curriculum, events, class projects, student activities, and departmental policies.
	C.	Communicate
		Content may communicate information about the plans, policies, and operations of the District to members of the public and other persons who may be affected by District matters.

The information contained on the Board's web site(s) should reflect and support the Board's mission statement, educational philosophy, and the school improvement process.

When the content includes a photograph or information relating to a student, the Board will abide by the provisions of Policy 8330 - Student Records.

All links included on the Board's website(s) or web services and apps must also meet the above criteria and comply with State and Federal law (e.g. copyright laws, CIPA, Section 504, ADA, and COPPA). Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the District from linking the Board's website(s) to 1) recognized news/media outlets (e.g., local newspapers' websites, local television stations' websites) or 2) to websites, services, and/or apps that are developed and hosted by outside commercial vendors pursuant to a contract with the Board. The Board recognizes that such third party websites may not contain age-appropriate advertisements that are consistent with the requirements of Policy 9700.01, AP 9700B, and State and Federal law.

Under no circumstances is District-created web content, services, or apps to be used for commercial purposes, advertising, political lobbying, or to provide financial gains for any individual. Included in this prohibition is the fact no web content contained on the District's web site may: (1) include statements or other items that support or oppose a candidate for public office; the investigation, prosecution, or recall of a public official; or passage of a tax levy or bond issue; (2) link to a web site of another organization if the other web site includes such a message; or (3) communicate information that supports or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization.

Staff members are prohibited from requiring students to go to the staff member's personal web pages/sites (including, but not limited to, their Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest pages) to check grades, obtain class assignments and/or class-related materials, and/or to turn in assignments.

School website(s), services, and apps must be located on Board-owned or District-affiliated servers.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative procedures defining the rules and standards applicable to the use of the Board's web site and the creation of web content, services, and apps by staff and students.

The Board retains all proprietary rights related to the design of web content, services, and apps that are hosted on Board-owned or District-affiliated servers, absent written agreement to the contrary.

Students who want their class work to be displayed on the Board's web site must have written parent permission and expressly license its display without cost to the Board.

Prior written parental permission is necessary for a student to be identified by name on the Board's web site.

Instructional Use of Web Services and Apps

The Board authorizes the use of web services and/or apps to supplement and enhance learning opportunities for students either in the classroom or for extended learning outside the classroom.

The Board requires the Superintendent pre-approve each web service and/or app that a teacher intends to use to supplement and enhance student learning. To be approved, the web service or app must have a FERPA-compliant privacy policy, as well as comply with all requirements of COPPA and the Children's Internet Protect Act (CIPA).

The Board further requires the use of a Board-issued e-mail address for all web services and/or apps that a teacher intends to use to supplement and enhance student learning when an email address is requested.

F.S. 104.31(1)(a)
F.S. 110.233(2)
F.S. 110.233(4)
F.S. 112.313(6)
F.S. 1001.32(2)
F.S. 1001.42
H.R. 4577
P.L. 106-554, Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000
People Against Tax Revenue Mismanagement v. County of Leon, 583 So. 2d 1373 (Fla. 1991); Commission on Ethics: In Re: Patty Lynch, Case No. 2068EC (1994)