Policy 3245 - Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy

The Richland School District is committed to moving students and staff forward in a 21st century learning environment. As part of this plan, access to the District’s wireless network, including the Internet, shall be made available to students, employees and members of the Board of Directors primarily for instructional and administrative purposes and in accordance with this and other policies. Students, employees and members of the Board of Directors must always comply with the Acceptable Use Rules and Regulations detailed in Policy and Regulation 2314. Limited personal use of the District’s wireless network shall be permitted if the use: 

• Imposes no tangible cost to the district; 
• Does not unduly burden the District’s computer or network resources; 
• Has no adverse effect on an employee’s job performance or on a student’s academic performance. 

Access to the District’s network is a privilege, not a right. All users shall be required to acknowledge receipt and understanding of all administrative regulations governing use of the system and to comply with such regulations and guidelines. Noncompliance with applicable regulations may result in suspension or termination of privileges and other disciplinary action consistent with District policies. 

While students are free to bring their own devices to school, classroom teachers will define if and how these devices may be used in their classrooms. Electronic devices shall not be used in any way that disrupts or detracts from the education and work environment. The Board permits the use of electronic devices for educational and operational purposes. The Board further permits electronic devices for non-disruptive use during non-instructional and nonoperational times in locations designated by the administration. The use of electronic devices during school-related activities may be permitted in accordance with guidelines established by the district. 

I. Employees 

Classroom teachers have the authority to permit, limit, or prohibit the use of personal devices by students in their class. Staff members are responsible for providing guidelines for Internet use by students. Staff is responsible for supervising student access to the Internet and ensuring that access is being used for educational purposes and in accordance with the Acceptable Use and Rules and Regulation detailed in Policy and Regulation 2314. 

II. Students 

With classroom teacher approval, students may use their own devices in the classroom to access and save information from the Internet, communicate with other learners, and use the productivity tools that may be currently loaded on the device. 

A student will be allowed to utilize the District’s wireless network for educational purposes unless the student’s parent or guardian denies the student access by proactively notifying the school/district. If a student does not have parental permission to use the Internet or such access has been revoked by the school, teachers will make a reasonable effort to provide an alternative assignment covering the same benchmarks contained in the Internet based instruction. 

In the event that equivalent instruction cannot be reasonably provided, an alternative assignment will be given to the student. However, if the parent revokes permission for their student to use the Internet, they will assume responsibility for the student’s mastery of those benchmarks that cannot be addressed in the alternative assignment. 

Richland School District recognizes the value that mobile technology devices can bring to students. Therefore, the district is allowing students to use their own mobile devices from home only with the approval and supervision of Richland staff. This includes, but is not limited to the following: 

• Laptops 
• Netbooks 
• iPods 
• iPads 
• Kindles 
• Nooks 
• Smartphones 

III. Expectations 

Students who bring their own devices to school must always be in compliance with the Policies 2314, Electronic Information Systems (Network), Policy 3200, Students Responsibilities, and 3207, Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying and Cyber-bullying. Students shall not send, share, view or possess pictures, text messages, e-mails, or other material of a sexually explicit nature in electronic or any other form of cell-phone or other electronic device, while the student is on school grounds, at a school sponsored event, or on school buses or vehicles provided by the district. Students will only use appropriate technology at teachers’ discretion. Students are permitted to access only the school’s network through personal devices, not private networks. These networks include but are not limited to personal cellular data plans. Further, possession or use of mobile learning device may not, in any way: 

1. Disrupt the educational process of the school district. 
2. Endanger the health and safety of the student or anyone else. 
3. Invade the rights and privacy of others at the school. 
4. Involved illegal or prohibited conduct of any kind. 

If used inappropriately, students are subject to disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion, and losing the privilege of bringing such a device onto school property. In addition, staff may confiscate or with reasonable articulable suspicion can search the device. Content or images that violate criminal laws will be forwarded to law enforcement. 

Students are responsible for the devices they bring to school, on school buses, and to school sponsored events. The District shall not be liable for the loss, theft, damages or misuse of any electronic device brought to school, possessed/used during the school day, in/on district buildings, district property, district vehicles or contracted vehicles, during transport to/from school, while attending school-sponsored activities during the school day, and/or any/all school-sponsored activities generally. The District will provide no technical support, troubleshooting, or repair for electronic devices. 

IV. Responsibilities 

1. Richland School District does not provide personal property insurance for personally owned devices. 
2. Loss of access to personal mobile learning devices can occur if the school becomes concerned about its appropriate use. Concerns may include but are not limited to: safety, potential for disruption to educational process, and security issues related to connecting a personal devices to the district network. 
3. The student requester and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) should be aware that the Richland School District does not have control of the information on the internet, but takes all measures possible to protect tour students through the internet filtering and education of appropriate use. 
4. Use of personal mobile devices is prohibited in locker rooms, bathrooms, nurses’ offices, and other locations that are private in nature. 
5. Phone calls and texting are not allowed in classrooms unless directed by a teacher. 
6. Technical support will not be provided for personal devices. Students must take full responsibility for setting up and maintaining the device. 
7. When using the wireless device the student must access the internet through the District’s network and not their personal data plan. 
8. Unauthorized streaming of audio or video is not allowed at any time. 
9. Students are not permitted to use any electronic device to record audio or video media or take pictures of any student or staff member without their permission. The distribution of any unauthorized media may result in discipline including but not limited to suspension, criminal charges, and expulsion. 

The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, and review a personally owned device or file when administration has a reasonable suspicion that a violation has occurred. 

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