Technology Handbook

Book: I

Section: Instruction

Title: Student Computer and Internet Use Rules

Code: IJNDB-R

Status: Active
 

STUDENT COMPUTER/DEVICE AND INTERNET USE RULES

All students are responsible for their actions and activities involving Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices, network and internet services (including Google for Education and/or other third-party services), and for their computer files, passwords and accounts.  These rules provide general guidance concerning the use of the district’s computers/devices, networks, and internet services, and examples of prohibited uses.  The rules do not attempt to describe every possible prohibited activity by students.  Students, parents and school employees who have questions about whether a particular activity is prohibited are encouraged to contact a building.  These rules apply to all school computers/devices wherever they are used, and all uses of school servers, internet access and networks regardless of how they are accessed. 

A. Acceptable Use  

1. Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices, network and internet services are provided for educational purposes and research consistent with the district’s educational mission, curriculum and instructional goals.
2. Students must comply with all Board policies, school rules and expectations for student conduct and communications when using school computers/devices, whether on or off school property.
3. Students also must comply with all specific instructions from school employees and volunteers when using Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices.
4. Students are required to provide their passwords for any school-issued computers/devices to a building administrator.

B. Prohibited Uses 

Unacceptable uses of district computers/devices include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Accessing or Communicating Inappropriate Materials – Students may not access, submit, post, publish, forward, download, scan or display defamatory, abusive, obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, sexually suggestive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing, bullying/cyberbullying, and/or illegal materials or messages.
2. Illegal Activities – Students may not use Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices, network and internet services for any illegal activity or in violation of any Board policy/procedure or school rules.  Portland Public Schools assumes no responsibility for illegal activities of students while using school computers/devices.
3. Violating Copyrights or Software Licenses – Students may not copy, download or share any type of copyrighted materials (including music or films) without the owner’s permission; or copy or download software without the express authorization of the Technology Coordinator.  Unauthorized copying of software is illegal and may subject the copier to substantial civil and criminal penalties.  The district assumes no responsibility for copyright or licensing violations by students. 
4. Downloading “Apps” – Students may not download any “apps” without prior approval from an authorized school employee.
5. Plagiarism – Students may not represent as their own work any materials obtained on the internet (such as term papers, articles, music, etc) or through the use of generative AI (e.g., entering a prompt in a generative AI platform and presenting the output as their own in school work) .  When internet sources or generative AI is used. in student work, proper credit and citation of the source must be given.
6. Use for Non-School-Related Purposes - Using Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices, network and internet services for any personal reasons not connected with the educational program or school assignments. 
7. Misuse of Passwords/Unauthorized Access – Students may not share passwords (except with authorized school employees); use passwords belonging to others; access or use the accounts of others; or circumvent, or attempt to circumvent network security.
8. Malicious Use/Vandalism – Students may not engage in any malicious use, disruption or harm to the district’s computers/devices, network and internet services, including but not limited to hacking activities and creation/uploading of computer viruses.
9. Avoiding School Filters – Students may not attempt to or use any software, utilities or other means to access internet sites or content blocked by the school filters.  If a student believes filtering should be less restrictive on a temporary basis for specific, bona fide research purposes, they should discuss the matter with their teacher.
10. Unauthorized Access to Blogs/Social Media, Etc. – Students may not access blogs, social networking sites, etc. to which student access is prohibited.  
11. Violating Third-Party Provider Terms of Service – Students must abide by the terms of use/service that apply to the third-party service provider services that students use.

C. Compensation for Losses, Costs and/or Damages 

Students and their parents are responsible for compensating Portland Public Schools for any losses, costs or damages incurred for violations of Board policies/procedures and school rules while the student is using district computers/devices, networks, and/or internet services, including the cost of investigating such violations.  Portland Public Schools assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or costs incurred by students while using district computers/devices, networks, and/or internet services.

D. Student Security 

Students are not allowed to reveal their full name, address, telephone number, social security number, photograph or other personal information on the internet while using a school computer/device, network, and/or internet service without prior permission from a teacher.  Students should never agree to meet people they have contacted through the internet without parental permission.  Students should inform their teacher if they access information or messages that are dangerous, inappropriate or make them uncomfortable in any way.

E. System Security 

The security of Portland Public Schools’ computers/devices, network and internet services is a high priority.  Any student who identifies a security problem must notify their teacher or building administrator immediately.  Students shall not demonstrate the problem to others or access unauthorized material.

F. Additional Rules for Devices Issued to Students

1. Laptops/Tablets are loaned to students as an educational tool and may only be used for purposes specifically authorized by school staff.   
2. Parents/legal guardians are invited to attend an informational meeting before a device will be issued to their child.  Both the student and their parent/guardian must sign the school’s acknowledgment form. 
3. Students and their families are responsible for the proper care of devices at all times, whether on or off school property, including costs associated with repairing or replacing the devices.  Portland Public Schools offers an insurance program for parents to cover replacement costs and/or repair costs for damages not covered by the device warranty. The plan covers theft, fire, power surge, natural disasters, and accidental (non-negligent) damage both at home and in school. If a device is lost or stolen, this must be reported to a school administrator immediately.  If a device is stolen, a report should be made to the local police immediately as well.
4. The Board’s policy and rules concerning computer and internet use apply to use of devices at any time or place, on or off school property.  Students are responsible for obeying any additional rules concerning care of devices issued by school staff.  
5. Violation of policies or rules governing the use of computers/devices, or any careless use of a device, may result in a student’s device being confiscated and/or a student only being allowed to use the device under the direct supervision of school employees.  The student will also be subject to disciplinary action for any violations of Board policies/procedures or school rules.
6. Parents/guardians will be informed of their child’s login password.  Parents/guardians are responsible for supervising their child’s use of the device and internet access when in use at home.  Devices issued to high school students who are attending school in person may only be used by the student. 
7. Devices issued to middle school students who are attending school in person may be used by the student and their parent, in accordance with the Student Computer Use Policy and Rules. 
8. Devices issued to any student who is attending school remotely for some or all of their instructional days may be used by parents and any siblings enrolled in PPS, in accordance with the Student Computer Use Policy and Rules.
9. All use of school-loaned devices must comply with the school’s Student Computer/Device and Internet Use Rules and other applicable policies and procedures.  
10. Devices must be returned in acceptable working order at the end of the school year or whenever requested by school staff.

Additional Rules for Use of Privately-Owned Computers/Devices by Students 

1. A student who wishes to use a privately-owned computer/device in school for school purposes, in lieu of or in addition to a school-issued computer/device, must complete a Student Request to Use Privately-Owned Computer/Device form.  The form must be signed by the student, their parent, a sponsoring teacher, the building administrator and the Technology Coordinator. There must be an educational basis for any request.
2. The building administrator or their designee will determine whether a student’s privately-owned computer/device meets the district’s network requirements.  
3. Requests may be denied if it is determined that there is not a suitable educational basis for the request and/or if the demands on the district’s network or staff would be unreasonable.
4. The student is responsible for proper care of their privately-owned computer/device, including any costs of repair, replacement or any modifications needed to use the computer at school.
5. Portland Public Schools is not responsible for damage, loss or theft of any privately-owned computer/device.
6. Students are required to comply with all Board policies, administrative procedures and school rules while using privately-owned computers/devices at school.
7. Students have no expectation of privacy in their use of a privately-owned computer/device while at school. Portland Public Schools reserves the right to search a student’s privately-owned computer/device if there is reasonable suspicion that the student has violated Board policies, administrative procedures or school rules, or engaged in other misconduct while using the computer/device.  
8. Portland Public Schools may confiscate any privately-owned computer/device used by a student in school without authorization as required by these rules.  The contents of the computer may be searched in accordance with applicable laws and policies. 
9. Violation of any Board policies, administrative procedures or school rules involving a student’s privately-owned computer/device may result in the revocation of the privilege of using the computer at school and/or disciplinary action.  

H. Google for Education

Portland Public Schools will, at its discretion, create Google for Education accounts for students.  Accounts will be terminated when a student ceases to be a student in the district. Google G-Suite features will be enabled on a user-by-user-basis at the discretion of the Technology Coordinator. Use of Google for Education is subject to Google’s acceptable use policy (available at https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US or upon request from the Technology Coordinator), and all district policies, procedures and rules.  The district maintains the right to suspend or terminate a student’s access to their account for violations of policies, procedures, rules or applicable laws.  Students must, at all times, take reasonable measures to protect files and information in Google for Education, including, but not limited to, not sharing passwords and following all security and access rules.

Cross Reference:  IJNDB – Student Use of School-Issued Computers, Devices and the Internet 

Revised: August 2020, June 18, 2024

IJNDB-R - Student Computer and Internet Use Rules.pdf (27 KB)