What is CIPA?

CIPA is the Children's Internet Protection Act, which went into effect on April 20th, 2001. This law requires that K-12 schools and libraries in the United States have Internet safety policies and use Internet filters to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for federal funding and e-rate money.

Each grade level must deliver at a minimum two digital citizenship lessons a year to be eRate compliant and CIPA compliant. CISD is asking for one per 9 week grading period.

What is COPPA?

COPPA is the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. This law requires website operators to obtain verifiable parental permission to collect personal information from children younger than 13 (8TH GRADE AND BELOW AND SOME 9TH GRADERS). This law went into effect on April 21, 2000 and states:

• Children younger than 13 cannot be required to give out more information "than is reasonably necessary" to participate in a site's activities.

• Website operators must obtain parental permission to collect personal information from children younger than 13. This means a teacher must get this permission in writing. 

  • 1. • This means that students under 13 are not able to create their own accounts. In some cases, teachers may be able to create accounts for students; however, FERPA responsibilities still apply.  It is always best practice to notify parents of the tools used and get their permission.

• Parents have the right to know what personal information is collected and how it will be used.

• Parents have the right to review any information collected, determine whom it can be given to, and/or have the information deleted.

• Parental permission must be verifiable.

What Does This Mean For Teachers?

1. Use sites that you know are already approved by the District.

2. For new sites: Review the website Terms of Service and follow them, fill out this request form.

3. Or, seek out your Digital Learning Specialist or STEM coach (on secondary campuses) to help you verify compliance.

FERPA - The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

• FERPA requires that schools have written authorization from guardians to release information from students' educational records.

• This means that only with specific exceptions, staff cannot share student information with apps and websites without guardian consent.