| Book | Policy Manual |
|---|---|
| Section | 7000 Property |
| Title | WEB ACCESSIBILITY, CONTENT, APPS AND SERVICES |
| Code | po7540.02 |
| Status | Active |
| Legal |
P.L. 106-554, Children’s Internet Protection Act |
| Adopted | August 13, 2001 |
| Last Revised | January 25, 2021 |
7540.02 - WEB ACCESSIBILITY, CONTENT, APPS AND SERVICES
Creating Content for Web Pages/Sites, Apps and Services
The School Board authorizes staff members and students to create content for web pages/site(s) and apps and services (see Bylaw 0100 - Definitions) that will be hosted by the School Corporation on its servers or Corporation-affiliated servers and published on the Internet.
The content of web pages/site(s) apps and services must comply with State and Federal law, e.g., copyright laws, Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and reflect the professional image/brand of the Corporation, its employees, and students. Content of web pages/site(s) and apps and services must be consistent with the Corporation's Mission Statement and staff-created content for web pages/site(s) and apps and services is subject to prior review and approval of the Superintendent before being published on the Internet and/or utilized with students.
Student-created content for web pages/site(s) and apps, and services is subject to Policy 5722 - School-Sponsored Student Publications and Productions.
The creation of content for web pages/site(s) and apps and services by students must be done under the supervision of a professional staff member.
Purpose of Content of Corporation Web Pages/Sites, Apps and Services
The Superintendent shall have final editorial authority over all content placed on the Corporation's servers or Corporation-affiliated servers and displayed on the Corporation's web pages/site(s), and/or apps and services. The Superintendent has the right to remove pages or links from any web page/site, as well as require that an app or service created by a Corporation staff member be removed from the Corporation's servers or Corporation-affiliated servers, based upon his/her determination that the content is inappropriate or is not accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The purpose of the content of web pages/site(s) and apps and services hosted by the Corporation on its servers or Corporation- affiliated servers is to educate, inform, and communicate. The following criteria should be used to guide the development of such content for web pages/site(s) and apps and services:
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Educate
Content provided should be suitable for and usable by students and teachers to support the curriculum and Corporation's Objectives as listed in the Corporation's Strategic Plan.
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Inform
Content may inform the community about the school, teachers, students, or departments, including information about curriculum, events, class projects, student activities, and departmental policies.
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Communicate
Content may communicate information about the plans, policies and operations of the Corporation to members of the public and other persons who may be affected by Corporation matters.
The information contained on the Corporation's web pages/site(s) and apps and services should reflect and support the Corporation’s Mission Statement, Educational Philosophy, and the Academic Improvement Process.
When the content includes a photograph or information relating to a student, including Corporation-issued email accounts, the Corporation will abide by the provisions of Policy 8330 - Student Records.
All links included on the Corporation’s web pages/site(s) and apps and services also must meet the above criteria and comply with State and Federal law (e.g. copyright laws, CIPA, Section 504, ADA, and COPPA). Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the Corporation from linking the Corporation's web pages/site(s) and apps and services to 1) recognized news/media outlets, e.g., local newspapers' websites, local television stations’ websites, or 2) to web pages/sites and apps and services that are developed and hosted by outside commercial vendors pursuant to a contract with the Board. The Board recognizes that such third party web pages/sites and apps and services may not contain age-appropriate advertisements that are consistent with the requirements of Policy 9700.01, AG 9700B, and State and Federal law.
Under no circumstances are Corporation-created web pages/site(s) and apps and services to be used for commercial purposes, political lobbying, or to provide financial gains for any employee or student. As part of this prohibition, content of web pages/site(s) and apps and services contained on the Corporation’s website shall not: 1) include statements or other items that support or oppose a candidate for public office, the investigation, prosecution or recall of a public official, or the passage of a tax levy or bond issue; 2) include a link to a website of another organization if the other website includes such a message; or 3) communicate information that supports or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization.
Under no circumstances are staff member-created web pages/site(s) and apps and services, including personal web pages/sites, to be used to post student progress reports, grades, class assignments, or any other similar class-related material. Employees are required to use the Corporation-specified web page/site, app or service for the purpose of conveying information to students and/or parents.
Staff members are prohibited from requiring students to go to the staff member's personal web pages/sites (including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest) to check grades, obtain class assignments and/or class-related materials, and/or to turn in assignments.
The content of school web pages/site(s) and apps and services should reflect an understanding that both internal and external audiences will be viewing the information.
School web pages/site(s) and apps and services must be located on Corporation-owned or Corporation-affiliated servers.
The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines defining the rules and standards applicable to the use of the Corporation’s web pages/site(s) and apps and services and the creation of web pages/site(s) and apps and services by staff and students.
The Corporation retains all proprietary rights related to the design of web pages/site(s) and apps and services that are hosted on Corporation-owned or Corporation-affiliated servers, absent written agreement to the contrary.
Students who want their classwork or information regarding their athletic endeavors, if applicable, to be displayed on the Corporation's web pages/site(s) and apps and services must have written parent permission and expressly license the display of those endeavors and any related photographs without cost to the Corporation.
Prior written parental permission is necessary for a student to be identified by name on the Corporation's website, web pages/site(s) and apps and services.
Website Accessibility
The Corporation is committed to providing individuals with disabilities an opportunity equal to that of individuals without disabilities to participate in the Corporation's programs, benefits, and services, including those delivered through electronic and information technology, except where doing so would impose an undue burden or create a fundamental alteration. The Corporation is further committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities are able to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as persons without a disability, with substantially equivalent ease of use; that they are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any Corporation programs, services, and activities delivered online, as required by Section 504 and Title II of the ADA and their implementing regulations; and that they receive effective communication of the Corporation's programs, services, and activities delivered online.
The Corporation adopts this policy to fulfill this commitment and affirm its intention to comply with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794 and 34 C.F.R. Part 104, and Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12131 and 28 C.F.R. Part 35, in all respects.
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Technical Standards
The Corporation will adhere to the technical standards of compliance identified at www.lakeridge.k12.in.us. The Corporation measures the accessibility of online content and functionality according to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, and the Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA 1.1) for web content.
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Web Accessibility Coordinator
The Board designates its Technology Manager as the Corporation's Web Accessibility Coordinator(s). That individual(s) is responsible for coordinating and implementing this policy.
See Board Policy 2260.01 for the Section 504/ADA Compliance Coordinator(s)’ contact information.
The Corporation's Technology Manager can be reached at 6111 W. Ridge Rd., Gary, IN 46408 210838-1819.
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Third Party Content
Links included on the Board’s web page/site(s) and apps and services that pertain to its programs, benefits, and/or services also must meet the above criteria and comply with State and Federal law (e.g., copyright laws, CIPA, Section 504, ADA, and COPPA). While the Corporation strives to provide access through its web pages/site(s) and apps and services to content provided or developed by third parties (including vendors, video-sharing websites, and other sources of online content) that is in an accessible format, that is not always feasible. The Corporation's administrators and staff, however, are aware of this requirement with respect to the selection of content provided to students. The Corporation's Web Accessibility Coordinator or his/her designees will vet content available on its web pages/site(s) and apps and services that is related to the Corporation's programs, benefits, and/or services for compliance with these criteria for all new content placed on the Corporation's web pages/site(s) and apps and services after adoption of this policy.
Nothing in the preceding paragraph, however, shall prevent the Corporation from including links on the Board’s web pages/site(s) and apps and services to:
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recognized news/media outlets (e.g., local newspapers' websites, local television stations' websites); or
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web pages/sites, apps or services that are developed and hosted by outside vendors or organizations that are not part of the Corporation's program, benefits, or services.
The Board recognizes that such third party web pages/sites and apps and services may not contain age-appropriate advertisements that are consistent with the requirements of Policy 9700.01, AG 9700B, and State and Federal law.
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Regular Audits
The Corporation, under the direction of the Web Accessibility Coordinator(s) or his/her/their designees, will audit at regular intervals the Corporation's online content and measure this content against the technical standards adopted above.
This audit will occur no less than once every two (2) years.
If problems are identified through the audit, such problems will be documented, evaluated, and, if necessary, remediated within a reasonable period of time.
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Reporting Concerns or Possible Violations
If any student, prospective student, employee, guest, or visitor believes that the Corporation has violated the technical standards in its online content, s/he may contact the Web Accessibility Coordinator with any accessibility concerns. S/He also may file a formal complaint utilizing the procedures set out in Board Policy 2260 and Policy 2260.01 relating to Section 504 and Title II.
Instructional Use of Apps, and Services
The Board authorizes the use of apps, and services to supplement and enhance learning opportunities for students either in the classroom or for extended learning outside the classroom.
A teacher who elects to supplement and enhance student learning through the use of apps or services is responsible for verifying/certifying to the Superintendent that the app or service has a FERPA-compliant privacy policy and complies with all requirements of COPPA and CIPA.
The Board further requires
Training
The Corporation will provide periodic training for its employees who are responsible for creating or distributing information through web pages/site(s) and apps and services so that these employees are aware of this Policy and understand their roles and responsibilities with respect to web design, accessibility, documents and multimedia content.
Such training shall be facilitated by an individual with sufficient knowledge, skill and experience to understand and employ the technical standards set forth in Board policies and administrative guideline(s).
One-Way Communication Using Corporation Web Pages/Site(s) and Apps and Services
The Corporation is authorized to use web pages/site(s) and apps and services to promote school activities and inform stakeholders and the general public about Corporation news and operations.
Such communications constitute public records that will be archived.
When the Board or Superintendent designates communications distributed via Corporation web pages/site(s) and apps and services to be one-way communication, public comments are not solicited or desired, and the web page/site, app or service is to be considered a nonpublic forum.
If the Corporation uses an app or service that does not allow the Corporation to block or deactivate public comments (e.g., Facebook, which does not allow comments to be turned-off, or Twitter, which does not permit users to disable private messages or mentions/replies), the Corporation's use of that app or service will be subject to Policy 7544 - Use of Social Media, unless the Corporation is able to withhold all public comments automatically.
If unsolicited public comments can be withheld automatically, the Corporation will retain the comments in accordance with its adopted record retention schedule (see AG 8310A – Requests for Public Records and AG 8310E - Record Retention and Disposal), but it will not review or consider those comments.
Revised 2/27/17