Per HB 1481 - passed in the most recent Texas Legislative Session - includes a ban on all personal communication devices, including personal laptops that are NOT issued by Aledo ISD. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬, 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭-𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥.

The majority of students in AISD in grades 6-12 have checked out district Chromebooks for a number of years, and AISD has previously permitted students to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐘𝐎𝐃 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦. (Students in grades PK-5 access technology devices as needed at school and do not check out devices.)

Questions? www.aledoisd.org/technology

Aledo ISD utilizes password protection resources for all data. AISD staff uses multi-factor authentication to help protect resources and maintain security. All data is housed domestically in order to ensure United States data privacy guidelines are utilized. 

Some specific strategies utilized by AledoISD are as follows:

• External vendors must sign our Data Privacy Agreement.

• All data uses SSL encryption in transit meaning that all data is encrypted while being transferred via the internet. This is a standard security protocol and ensures that all data transmitted between the web server and browser remains encrypted.

• Email data utilizes Transport Layer Security (TLS) preferred encryption for inbound and outbound messaging order to provide privacy and data integrity during communication. 

Measuring Student Progress and Performance and Meeting Individual Needs

We collect data such as attendance, grades, and participation in school-sponsored extra-curricular activities to enable students to succeed. We also collect data from surveys and other feedback to improve teaching and learning and address other issues important to students and their families.

School Operations

We collect data such as addresses, phone numbers, and age to ensure student safety and accurate reporting to help run our school operations efficiently.

Improving The Education Program

We collect results from local, state, and national assessments to provide teachers, administrators and parents with important information about students, programs, and school performance. This data helps us improve the educational programs we offer and provide experiences specific to our student needs.

Responsible Stewardship and Financial Integrity

We collect program and financial data to provide assurance that our operations and resources are used in a responsible manner. In addition, we want to make sure the resources and operations we employ lead to student success. We strive to maintain high ethical standards and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness as a district.

Yes, district-issued Chromebooks are filtered 24/7 regardless of the device's location.

Our district-issued Chromebooks disabled the ability for students to delete their search history. Parents are welcomed to review their child's search history by:

1. Opening your child's Chrome Browser in their district-issued device

2. Press Ctrl + H to open their history

We prioritize student safety and are proactive and diligent in our efforts to ensure a secure online environment. However, it's important to note that despite our best efforts, some students may attempt to bypass these measures using various methods on a district-issued device or personal device. Here are a few common methods students may use:

• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Students may use VPNs to encrypt their internet traffic and circumvent district monitoring.

• Safe/Guest Mode: Starting their devices in safe mode or a guest mode can sometimes disable school monitoring software.

• Proxy Websites: These sites allow unfiltered web browsing and are regularly blocked by our district; however, new ones are continuously discovered by students.

• Hotspots: Students may utilize mobile hotspots from family members' or friends' phones to bypass secured routers implemented by the district.

These methods highlight how students may bypass district controls in a rapidly changing digital landscape. Such actions violate the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) outlined in the student code of conduct, which defines expectations for using any district-provided technology resources.

We encourage parents, guardians, and educators to discuss responsible technology use and the risks of circumventing district safety measures with their children. 

We follow guidelines from the Texas Education Agency. Our aim is to scale technology usage across all grade levels from K-12, ensuring age-appropriate exposure and responsible use. We are also mindful of the amount of time students spend on technology, striving to balance screen time with other essential learning activities. 

It's important to note that district-issued Chromebooks are filtered 24/7 regardless of the network they are connected to.

A digital pawprint is Aledo ISD's take on a digital footprint. Just like a bearcat leaves pawprints, our digital pawprint represents the trail of actions and information we leave behind through our online activities. It includes things like posts on social media, comments on websites, photos and videos shared, and even online purchases. 

Being mindful of our Digital pawprint is important for creating a positive online reputation and practicing responsible digital citizenship, reflecting the values of our Aledo community. 

As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) become more prevalent, we are teaching students how to effectively utilize AI as a tool and resource for student learning. Our goal is to create a learning environment where AI technologies empower rather than replace the human aspects of education, as we recognize that students will likely have access to AI after graduation in college and the workplace. Our District has created AI literacy instruction and responsible use to guide safe, effective, and responsible use of these tools for student learning. 

Students have access to the following AI tools:

• Canva

• Adobe Express

• MagicSchool

Access to other AI tools/sites has been blocked as we prioritize educating staff and students on AI literacy skills and data privacy. To access Aledo ISD's AI guidelines and resources, please click the following link: Artificial Intelligence in AISD

At Aledo ISD, we spend time teaching students how to use technology responsibly through Digital Citizenship (Common Sense Media) at the beginning of the school year. This curriculum is taught at each grade level and is tailored to the age and developmental stage of the students. Some of the key topics covered include: maintaining a positive online presence, safe and ethical communication and online navigation, security and privacy, copyright and more.

Additionally, parents/guardians will be provided with training opportunities and resources on how to best support and facilitate a safe digital learning environment at home.