Hillsboro School District is bound by both law and Board Policy to filter internet access on district devices.
Hillsboro School District is bound by both law and Board Policy to filter internet access on district devices.
Federal law that imposes restrictions on any school or library receiving funding from E-rate for internet access to comply with certain provisions concerning filtering and instruction around Digital Citizenship. Filtering must be provided on the internet connection to the district. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
The School Board has adopted Board Policy IIBGA which acknowledges CIPA and confirms the Board's commitment to protecting access to inappropriate content.
HSD uses Securly to provide Internet filtering on student accounts that are used to login to Chromebooks. Securly Filter complies with both CIPA and Board Policy. Filtering is accomplished by matching any website with a subject category. HSD determines which categories as a whole are blocked ("hard blocked"). Teachers have the professional discretion to grant temporary access to some categories ("soft blocked").
Category filtering is not an exact science. There are web sites with educational value that are in the vendor categories that may be blocked. The system takes time to learn from users and changes categories of sites over time.
The filtering categories are also adjusted for the students level of school. Elementary schools have the most strict filter, high schools have a lower level of filtering. All levels comply with CIPA and Board Policy.
Elementary School Student Blocked Category List
Pornography
Drugs
Gambling
Other adult content
Social media
Social networking
Network misuse
Chat / messaging
Intolerance
Games
Uncategorized
Malware
E-commerce / shopping
Sexual content
Educational games
Plagiarism
Middle School Student Blocked Category List
Pornography
Drugs
Gambling
Other adult content
Social media
Social networking
Network misuse
Chat / messaging
Intolerance
Games
Uncategorized
Malware
E-commerce / shopping
Sexual content
Educational games
Plagiarism
High School Student Blocked Category List
Pornography
Drugs
Gambling
Other adult content
Social media
Social networking
Network misuse
Intolerance
Games
Uncategorized
Malware
E-commerce / shopping
Sexual content
Educational games
Plagiarism
When logged into the Chrome Browser or on a district issued Chromebook, the Securly filter is designed to make use of Google and YouTube safe search systems. The filter also attempts to remove inappropriate images and thumbnails. This includes Google SafeSearch and YouTube restricted mode.
The Social Networking and Media Categories are currently blocked on the district Chromebooks when students are logged in with a HSD student account. Teachers may lift this block for the duration of their class if there is an instructional need. This includes Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and other systems that fall into the Social Networking and Media Categories.
All HSD student Google Accounts have YouTube Restricted Mode Enforced. The Securly filter also has a number of YouTube categories which have been turned off, as well as disabling comments, turning off autoplay, and hiding the suggestions sidebar.
More information about YouTube restricted mode can be found by following the link.
Google Chat is the Instant Messaging application built within the Google Suite. Google Chat is only allowed for High Schools students. Elementary and Middle School students do not have access to this Instant Messaging application using their district account. All instant messaging done through a district login within Google Chat is archived.
Securly Classroom Management allows teachers to take some control over Chromebooks during the school day while students are in their classrooms. This allows teachers to focus learning by pushing content to students, sending students direct messages, viewing screens, directing which websites are accessible to students, sharing, and locking screens. Securly Classroom Management does not work when Chromebooks are not at school.