Anne Arundel County Public

Schools Acceptable Use Policy

By: Michele Bodine

What is an Acceptable Use

Policy?
-

An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a

document that outlines a set of rules to be
followed by users or customers of a set of
computing resources, which could be a
computer network, website or large
computer system.

- AUPs are important for school systems

because it is important to have set rules
and regulations for the employees and
students to follow.
http://www.rockypointschools.org/aup.html

Components of AUPs
a description of the instructional values and approaches to
be sustained by Internet access in schools
a statement on the educational uses and benefits of the
Internet in the school
a list of the duties of teachers, parents, and students for
using the Internet
a code of ethical conduct for appropriate behavior on the
Internet
a description of the consequences of violating the AUP
a description of what constitutes acceptable and
unacceptable use of the Internet
a statement reminding users that Internet access and the
use of computer networks is a privilege, not a right
a signature form for teachers, parents, and students
indicating that they intend to abide by the AUP

Anne Arundel County Public

Schools (AACPS) AUP
- AACPS provides an AUP for all employees
of AACPS and all AACPS students.
- Links to both hand-books:
- AACPS Employee pages 16-22
- Student pg. 20
- Northeast High School does not have a school
wide AUP. The AACPS AUP is what is followed.

AACPS Employee AUP

Employee: Pages 1418 in employee hand
book
Signing of the
teacher contract
acknowledges that
the rules and
regulations regarding
technology use are
understood.
Images retrieved from
http://www.aacps.org/humanresources/handbook.pdf

AACPS Employee AUP Cont.

Main Points:
Employees may not log-on to the AACPS server
with their personal devices unless it has been
approved by the board of education.
Use AACPS e-mail appropriately:
Forwarded e-mail maybe intercepted and modified
All deleted e-mails may be recovered

AACPS employees may not ad or remove

components form the computer without permission.

Implementing the Employee

AUP

Due to the lack of awareness of the AACPS Employee AUP, all

employees should participate in a professional development that
informs them about the dos and do nots for using technology
provided by AACPS.
Even teachers who use technology everyday in their classes (yearbook,
photo and digital, journalism, etc.) were not familiar with AACPSs AUP
Quotes from some of the teachers:
I dont have an AUP for my class. I just use the one that the county provides.
Actually, I dont really know a lot about the countys AUP.
I had no idea there was an AUP.
I knew we had one but I do really know what it includes.

This Professional Development should occur during the week

before the students return from summer break.
Extra Professional Developments are also available through the
Office of Instructional Technology.

Violating the AACPS AUP - Employee

Violations of policy may result in
administrative sanctions that may include
prohibited or restricted use of AACPS
electronic communications and computer
resources.
In addition to administrative sanctions,
violators are subject to certain disciplinary
actions including criminal charges that
may result in termination of employment,
contract, or volunteer agreement.

AACPS Student AUP

- Student: Page 20 in the
student handbook.
- Students review the student
handbook with their
parent/guardian to ensure
that the appropriate behavior
will occur while using AACPS
technology.
- Students and parent/guardian
sign a paper indicating that
they understand what is
required of them.
http://www.aacps.org/html/studt/studenthandboo
k.pdf

AACPS Student AUP Cont.

Main Points:
Use provided school account for school-related
tasks only
Only use AACPS recommended search engines
and sites.
May not use another students username and
password
Use only AACPS authorized accounts and
passwords

Many not remove or damage hardware

components.

Implementing the Student

AUP
- At the beginning of every school
year, students participate in lessons
about the overall rules and
regulations for the school.
- One of these lessons should be
dedicated to AACPSs AUP.
- Example AUP lesson Plans

https://www.blendspace.c

Violating AACPSs AUP Students

- If a student does not follow the rules,

he/she will loose their technology use
privileges.
- Along with lose of privileges, more
severe consequences can occur
depending upon the infraction.

http://pyneartstechnology.blogspot.com/2013/10/
2013-2014-student-acceptable-use-policy.html

Violating AACPSs AUP Students

cont.
Teachers can help prevent students from
violating the AUP by effectively
monitoring the students while they are
using AACPS technology.
Teachers can do this by:
walking around to ensure that students are
staying on task.
Use the software that allows teachers to
monitor the students computer screens at
the teacher computer.

Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship is a term that
describes how a person should act
while using digital technology online.

http://www.nisd.net/digitalcitizen/sec_digcit/etiquette_6_12.htm

Digital Citizenship
Along with the AUP provided by the
school board, AACPS students also
have lessons about Digital Citizenship.
In the FY2015 Operating Budget Promote Digital Citizenship by
developing curriculum lessons
designed to be delivered through
Social Studies classes in K-8 and
Health classes in the high schools.
http://www.edtechschools.com
/how-to-tackle-digitalcitizenship-the-first-5-days-of-

Digital Citizenship Cont.

Digital Citizenship lessons will be taught during
the Health Education course. Health Education
was chosen for high school students because
every student is required to take it.
Topics covered include:
Rules and Regulations for Technology Use
Posting on Social Media Sites
Ethical Use of Technology
Cyberbullying
Optional Topic: Sexuality and Technology

http://margaret-powers.com/2013/09/

What can be changed:

The employee AUP is extremely thorough. It covers
all technology use teachers requirements in regards
to students use of technology, and the
repercussions if those rules are violated.
One change that can be made is the availability of
sites that an AACPS employee can access.
Teachers have more variety of internet sites than all other
faculty members.
For example: Teachers have access to Youtube where all other
faculty members only have access to the educational parts of
Youtube.

All AACPS employees should have the same type of

access to internet sites.

What can be changed cont.:

The first statement in the student AUP reads:
Use the provided school network account in an ethical,
responsible, and legal manner for school-related tasks
only.

This statement is vague because there is no

further explanation of the terms ethical and
responsible in regards to using technology.
Although the students should know the regulations
that go along with ethical and responsible use,
AACPS can not assume that the students know this
information.

Thank you for

viewing and
listening to this
presentation about
the AACPS AUP.

References
Slide #2: http://
www.techopedia.com/definition/2471/acceptable-us
e-policy-aup
Slide #3: http://
education.illinois.edu/wp/www.sjfschool.net/white
pages/acceptableusepolicy.htm
Slide #8:
http://margaret-powers.com/2013/09 /
Slide #13: http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_citizenship#Online_et