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Littleton Public Schools Regulation |
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Policy Code JRA/JRC-R-5 Policy Name Electronic Student Information System and Records June 23, 2005
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The primary purpose of this regulation is to provide the parent community greater opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and information exchange regarding their student. Access to electronic student information is provided as a parent/guardian resource to stay informed about their student’s educational progress in such areas as daily assignments, grades, attendance, and transcripts.
Electronic Student Educational Records
The Board of Education recognizes that enhanced educational services are available as a result of technological advances and that such services can serve the diverse needs of today’s student population. For these reasons, District online access to student information shall be created to provide timely information and communication with families and students in the Littleton Public Schools (LPS). This online access to student information provides the District with unique and ever-changing ways to interact with parents/guardians and students to help improve student learning.
The hardware and software system that contains functionality and data for the collection and management of electronic student education records shall maintain high security standards. The computer server systems employed by the District must possess a high degree of resistance to tampering and circumvention.
The security system shall limit data access to District staff on a need-to-know basis. Computer file servers containing electronic student education records shall be maintained on an independent District network separated from the Internet by an electronic firewall to prevent unauthorized access by outside entities and control individual users’ ability to access and alter records within the system.
The District shall maintain a disaster recovery and business continuity plan for the District’s electronic student information system. In the event of an in-District system server failure, LPS must be able to operate by accessing an out-of-district recovery site until the District’s electronic student information system can be made ready and brought back to pre-failure state.
The contracted company shall maintain backup servers and telecommunications connections and maintain backups of the District’s electronic student information on backup servers such that the company shall be capable of providing application hosting services. The contracted backup recovery services company shall adhere to all applicable federal and state laws governing the release and disclosure of student information, including the Child Privacy Protection and Parental Empowerment Act, the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The site of the District contracted service where the electronic student information system of records is hosted shall maintain high security standards. The off-site computer server systems must employ a security system that limits data access to contracted staff on a need-to-know basis.
Upon approval of the Superintendent/designee, the District shall determine when computer equipment, software, and information access systems will be available to the parents/guardians and eligible students.
Upon request to the principal/designee, parents/guardians and/or eligible students may have access to student information via the Internet available through the District’s electronic student information system, provided they acquire a user ID, use a strong password, and follow procedures established by the principal/designee. Parents/guardians and eligible students shall abide by the rules of usage established by the principal/designee.
All users (LPS administrators, teachers, staff, parents/guardians, and eligible students) having Internet access who are interested in viewing electronic student information or are granted access to the electronic student information system shall be required to use a unique user ID and strong password. Passwords shall not be (solely) English words available in common electronic dictionaries, nor should they be based on information that is readily associated with the user (addresses, phone number, favorite flower, etc.). The system administrator may require a user to change a password if it fails to meet these criteria. All users shall be given information regarding log-in and strong password security.
Individuals who refuse to sign required acceptable use documents or who violate District rules governing the use of District technology shall be subject to loss or restriction of the privilege of using District equipment, software, information access systems, or other computing and telecommunications technologies.
Individuals shall reimburse the District for repair or replacement of District property lost, stolen, damaged, or vandalized while under their care.
School officials shall apply the same criterion of educational suitability used to review other educational resources when questions arise concerning access to specific databases or other electronic media.
Electronic student education records will include the information listed below. This list is not all-inclusive, but it is a sample of the types of information that may be in the student information system. Some of the information in the system and available via the Internet includes such information as: student’s name; student’s address; student’s personal information, such as date of birth, telephone number; current grade level, courses taken, grades, activities, and behavior reports; parent/guardian information, such as address, telephone numbers, and emergency contact information. (For a complete listing of the types of records in the system, contact the custodian of education records.)
Disclosure to Providers of Web-based Postsecondary Education Admissions Applications
Upon authorization of the parents/guardians or eligible students, the District may disclose records in the electronic student information system to providers of Web-based postsecondary educational institution admissions applications so that eligible students and/or parents/guardians may authorize the posting of their transcript to facilitate the postsecondary education admissions applications process.