New Programs
Pilot technology programs may be generated by students, teachers, administrative staff, Board members, or members of the community at large. It is generally recommended that no more than half of a project budget be used for the acquisition of technological hardware, to ensure appropriate training and the development of documentation and support materials. In the case of computer technology, a third for hardware, a third (or less) for software, and a third (or more) for training and materials development is a good rule.
Upon submission of a pilot proposal, the administrator shall review the proposal and its alignment with District goals and objectives, suggest modifications, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent, who may in turn make a recommendation to the Board.
In establishing pilot programs, cooperation with outside agencies, especially local universities, is encouraged. Project leaders should consider the cost-effectiveness of using outside consultants for in-service training and support.
When a project is substantially in place and has been demonstrated successful at another school or District, the Superintendent may choose to recommend the implementation of the program without an in-District pilot, provided substantive and complete materials from the other school or District are available along with consultation and support.
Upgrades
Generally, a third of the funds allocated to technology upgrades and improvement should go to hardware and a third to software; the remainder should be allocated for training and development of curriculum and support materials.
Data Management (Cf. 2810, 8940)
The acquisition, upgrade, and necessary support of District data management facilities shall be included in the development of the District technology plan. Where appropriate, new database software or hardware should provide for appropriate security, and must offer a simple mechanism for the export of subsets and summaries of the data in a text format, in accord with Board policies on records. Where possible, the person(s) setting up a database should offer preset forms for excising confidential information fields from records during export, to facilitate District responses to requests for records.
All District database records shall be secured by a multi-level password system or equivalent, which allows the system administrator to control who has read-only, readwrite, and full control over records and/or features in the database. Persons authorized to access a database shall be informed of proper security procedures with regard to passwords, and shall be required to change their password on a regular basis. Requests by a staff member, for access to specific data outside of what is required for that staff member’s day-to-day job must be directed to the system administrator. At no time shall a person who is not a regular employee of the District be given a password or otherwise allowed to access any District database directly. Persons who knowingly allow non-employees, including volunteers or students, to use their password for database access may be subject to discipline.
Electronic records shall be secured by making and maintaining backup copies of the data on an ongoing basis. Data that is updated frequently should be backed up on each weekday and the backups made should be retained for several days before being reused to ensure against data corruption that is not detected immediately. In addition to the daily backups, full backups should be made on a weekly basis, with one backup stored off-site to guard against fire or theft loss.
Personal Equipment and Software
Equipment essential in accomplishing job duties is often expensive and may be difficult to replace. When using District technology equipment, students and employees are expected to exercise care, notify technology staff of the need to perform required maintenance, and follow all operating instructions, safety standards, and guidelines. The District employs technology staff to purchase, install, support, and maintain all aspects of technology relating to the business function of the District. The District prohibits students or employees from using or installing personal equipment in or on the network, computer desktops, laptops, or communication lines. If technology related equipment is needed to perform a job duty, a request should be made along with written approval from a technology manager or other appropriate supervisor and submitted to authorized technology staff. All technology equipment shall be purchased and installed by authorized technology staff only. Students or employees are not permitted to install or configure hardware, software, or peripherals without proper permission and approval. All technology purchases shall fit within the District’s technology guidelines and plan. Equipment installed that does not fit these guidelines will be removed. The District prohibits the use of District equipment and facilities by any student or employee for private, personal gain or commercial use without written authorization from the Superintendent that states the limited purpose and timeframe of using the District’s equipment and facilities. Authorization will not be granted for any use that is contrary to the purposes, goals, policies, or administrative rules of the District. The use of the District’s equipment and facilities by a student or employee contrary to these rules can result in disciplinary action, up to and including long-term suspension from school for students or discharge for employees.
Games
Commercial arcade-style games where success is substantially related to physical skill, coordination, and reaction time are not permitted on school computer equipment. Students who as a personal or class programming assignment write an arcade-style game, however, may use school equipment for programming, testing, and debugging at the discretion of the system administrator. Games written by students, or commercial games that are substantially dependent on reasoning skills, problem solving, strategy, critical thinking, or knowledge may be allowed on school equipment as long as their use is not disruptive to the learning environment.
