Acceptable Use Policies in Schools

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What Are Acceptable Use Policies? 

An acceptable use policy, or AUP, is an agreement between students and their school district that outlines how students should stay safe while learning online. AUPs are also sometimes called responsible use policies or responsible use expectations. The purpose of these documents is to outline how the district's internet and devices should be utilized by students. They may also be considered codes of conduct. If students do not follow AUPs there may be consequences ranging from loss of privileges to removal of devices. The tone of a AUP is critical in conveying how a school district trusts its student body and embraces digital learning. Student-centered language makes students assume responsibility for their actions, for example "I will not eat or drink while using technology." This story from the Office of Educational Technology shows how Boston Public Schools changed the wording of their AUP to be more student-centered. I especially appreciated these tips shared in the story:

• "If students are supposed to comply with the AUP, it is critical that they understand what the policy stipulate. Making the document student-centered is the first step in that process."
• "Having a trained crew of cyber safety mentors who can be deployed into classrooms is an effective way to deliver the AUP message." 

A Closer Look At My School District's AUP

Instead of calling it an Acceptable Use Policy, my school district uses the term Responsible Use Expectations and they have separate guidelines for grades K-2, 3-5, and the junior high.  I appreciate how these expectations use student-centered language. The expectations are simple, straight forward, and they focus on what students should be doing with their devices, instead of a list of don'ts. I also like how the expectations are organized by our district's motto: be Respectful, Be Safe, Be a Learner. 

One suggestion I have would be to add explicit examples for a few of the expectations, for example one states: "I will tell an adult when something online makes me uncomfortable." I think we could give some examples, like experiencing unkind comments from peers, seeing scary or inappropriate images, strangers asking for information, or coming across unknown websites. I think that when revisions are made, they should be done through a group of administrators, teachers, and students. This way, the key players of digital learning (teachers and students) will have a voice and agency over the policies. 

Check out District 28's Responsible Use Expectations here

Clear Expectations

With help from the global pandemic, more learning than ever before is now being done online. An expertly articulated AUP is critical in keeping our students and our school data safe. While it's important to keep our students safe from inappropriate content we also have to consider cyber threats. This K-12 Cyber Incident Map is a fascinating way to see how internet safety has affected school districts all over the country. One tidbit I picked up happened in my community's high school. The incident map listed a cyber incident that was identified as resulting in school disruptions: "A student who was expelled from Glenbrook North High School for trying to hack into its grading system has sued the school board, saying the district abused its power by imposing an "unreasonable" and "oppressive" punishment." I was interested by this incident because it made me wonder about the school's AUP. I couldn't help but wonder if they ever imaged this sort of cyber threat and were prepared to deliver the consequences. Do you think they revised their AUP after this incident? Have you ever seen an AUP that states students are prohibited from hacking into the school's grading system?

It's important that school districts work with teachers and students to create AUPs that encourage responsible digital citizenship, personal accountability, and academic achievement while also clearly outlining consequences for inappropriate behavior.