School District Provided Technology Devices to Pupils

Policy 7523

 

The Board of Education may provide technology devices to pupils in the district for school district authorized use only. The purpose of this Policy is to establish general guidelines for the issuance and utilization of any school district technology device provided to pupils of this district. For the purposes of this Policy, "technology device" or "device" shall include, but not be limited to, portable devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, cellular telephones, or any other computing or electronic devices the school district provides to pupils to be used as part of their educational program.

 

A technology device made available to pupils will not be considered a textbook or supply, as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:34-1, mandatory to a successful completion of the classroom curriculum. Therefore, because a technology device defined in this Policy is not mandatory to a successful completion of a pupil’s classroom curriculum, a pupil will not be required to obtain a technology device provided by the school district as defined in this Policy. In the event the school district provides a technology device that is deemed mandatory to a successful completion of the classroom curriculum, the district will provide pupils with such a technology device consistent with its textbook or supply policies. Nothing in this Policy prohibits a pupil from using their personal technology device in accordance with school rules and regulations.

 

A technology device provided by the school district may include pre-loaded software. A pupil is prevented from downloading additional software onto the technology device or tampering with software installed on the technology device. Only school district authorized staff members may load or download software onto a school district provided technology device.

 

To receive a school district provided technology device, the parent and pupil must sign a School District Provided Technology Device Form requiring the parent and the pupil to comply with certain provisions. These provisions may include, but are not limited to:

 

1. A school district provided technology device must be used only by the pupil for school district authorized use;

 

2. A pupil shall comply with the school district’s acceptable use of technology policies, which shall be attached to the School District Provided Technology Device Form, in their use of any school district provided technology device;

 

3. Any school district provided technology device loaned to a pupil must be returned to the school district in the condition it was initially provided to the pupil considering reasonable use and care by the pupil;

 

4. The parent or pupil shall be responsible to reimburse the school district the cost of any technology device that is lost, damaged beyond reasonable use or beyond its value, abandoned, missing, stolen, or cannot be returned to the district in accordance with the terms of the School District Provided Technology Device Form;

 

5. The district may require, or offer as an option, depending on the type of technology device provided to the pupil, an insurance policy to be purchased by the parent or pupil that would cover certain losses or damage to a technology device during the time period the pupil has possession of the device. The parent or the pupil shall pay any insurance policy required deductibles in the event of a loss;

 

6. In the event the school district does not require the purchase of an insurance policy for a technology device or the parent or pupil elects not to purchase optional insurance, the parent and/or pupil shall be responsible for any loss or damage to the technology device in accordance with the terms of the School District Provided Technology Device Form;

 

7. A pupil will be required to report any hardware or software problems in the operation of the device to the school district staff member, designated on the School District Provided Technology Device Form, within two school days of the commencement of the problem;

 

8. A pupil must report to the school district staff member designated on the School District Provided Technology Device Form within two school days in the event the technology device has been damaged or is missing;

 

9. A parent or pupil is required to immediately file a police report in the event it is believed the technology device has been stolen. Within one school day after filing a police report, a parent or pupil shall complete the School District Provided Technology Device Loss Form and submit the completed Loss Form and a copy of the police report to the Principal or designee;

 

10. A pupil shall be required to provide routine cleaning and care of the device in accordance with school district cleaning and care guidelines;

 

11. The pupil shall have the technology device in their possession in school as required; and

 

12. Any other provisions the Superintendent of Schools determines should be included on the School District Provided Technology Device Form.

 

The school district will provide the pupil and parent with written or electronic notification that the technology device provided by the school district may record or collect information on the pupil’s activity or the pupil’s use of the technology device if the device is equipped with a camera, global positioning system, or other feature capable of recording or collecting information on the pupil’s activity or use of the device. This notification shall also include a statement that the school district shall not use any of the capabilities in a manner that would violate the privacy rights of the pupil or any individual residing with the pupil. The parent shall be required to acknowledge receipt of this notification and the parent acknowledgement shall be retained by the Principal or designee for as long as the pupil retains the use of the school district provided technology device. The parent acknowledgement and a signedSchool District Provided Technology Device Form shall be required before the issuance of a technology device to a pupil. In accordance with the provisions of P.L. 2013, Chapter 44, a school district failing to provide this notification shall be subject to a fine of $250 per pupil, per incident. The fine shall be remitted to the New Jersey Department of Education, and shall be deposited in a fund that shall be used to provide laptop or other portable computer equipment to at-risk pupils as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-45.

 

Pupils shall comply with all school district policies for the use of a school district provided technology device. A pupil shall be subject to consequences in the event the pupil violates any school district policy, including the district’s acceptable use policies; pupil code of conduct; any provision of this Policy; or any provision of the School District Provided Technology Device Form.

 

N.J.S.A. 18A:34-1

P.L. 2013, Chapter 44 – “The Anti-Big Brother Act”

 

Adopted: 24 October 2013