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Student Policy

This page provides a brief overview of the CPS Acceptable Use Policy for students and defines the appropriate channels and platforms for students to communicate with teachers, staff or any adult who works in a school.

Student Acceptable Use Policy, August 28, 2019

Student Email

  • Green box with check

    Acceptable

    • Emailing staff using student CPS email account to staff CPS email account
  • Red box with a x

    Prohibited

    • Emailing staff via student's personal email

Student Personal Mobile Device

  • Red box with a x

    Prohibited

    • Phone calls to staff
    • Texting staff

    Exception to Student Policy

    1. While students are prohibited from text messaging staff and other adults who work in schools, there are exceptions for authorized use outlined in the policy that cover pre-approved safety meet-up communications, field trips, bulk text notifications and alerts and students enrolled in a district approved CPS Program. For more information, please review Section VI of the Student Acceptable Use Policy.
    2. One-to-one staff-to-student Google Meet sessions are permitted, and may be recorded, provided the following standards are met.
      • All staff/student one-on-one remote interactions must occur on Google Meet.
      • The school principal or assistant principal, and the student’s parents/guardians, must be added to the meeting as optional meeting attendees. The invitation must also be sent at least four (4) calendar days before the meeting.
      • The purpose of any one-on-one remote meeting must be clear and unambiguous and must be clearly communicated by the staff to the student, parent/guardian, and school principal or assistant principal before the interaction begins. 
      • One-on-one meetings should be recorded to avoid any appearance of secrecy for the benefit of both the staff and the student. In order to record the session you will need to obtain parent/guardian authorization for the recording by having them sign the CPS Written Consent Form for Recording of Virtual Meetings. Parent/guardian consent to record is needed during a one-on-one meeting between a staff member and student because the nature of the interaction is inherently private.
      • If a parent/guardian does not give their consent to record the virtual meeting, the meeting cannot occur as a one-on-one session between a staff member and student. Instead, the school principal, assistant principal or parent/guardian must attend so that the session is no longer a meeting between one staff member and one student.
      • One-on-one meetings that are required in connection with providing educational services in accordance with one’s employment (e.g., health screening, counseling, therapy, nursing, personal care and other services required by individualized education plans, 504 plans or other medical condition action plans) are not required to be recorded.
      • Teachers may record classroom and small group Meets without a consent form; however, students must be informed that the session is being recorded.
      • If a parent/guardian does not want their child recorded, the parent/guardian can have their child turn off their camera.
      • During recorded sessions, student names and images may be visible to the teacher and participating students. To protect privacy, parents or other individuals should not participate in, observe or record virtual sessions.
    3. International Baccalaureate (IB) students’ summative oral exams may be scheduled and taken via a Google Meet video conference. The student, Teacher and IB Coordinator must join a Google Meet video conference and record the student’s presentation.

Student Social Media Accounts

  • Red box with a x

    Prohibited

    • Communicating with CPS staff via staff member's personal social media account or non-CPS social media account
    • Adding, inviting and accepting “friend” or contact requests of CPS staff on any personal social media or non-CPS social media account
    • Posting identifiable student information on a personal social media site

Other Electronic Communication

  • Red box with a x

    Prohibited

    • Communicating with CPS staff via any group messaging application or other electronic or online tool
    • Sharing personal and CPS account passwords
    • Installing applications or changing configuration of CPS equipment

    Exception to Policy

    Students may use the tools provided on the CPS Network (e.g., CPS Google Classroom, Google Hangouts, Blackboard Direct) to communicate with teachers via their CPS email address.

Student Policy on Unacceptable Use

Chicago Public Schools provides access to technology devices, internet, data and network systems to employees and other authorized users for educational and business purposes. Students shall not use the CPS Network or Computer Resources, including access to the internet, intranet, collaboration tools, bulk communication tools, social media or email to use, upload, post, mail, display, store, or otherwise transmit in any manner, any content, communication or information that, among other unacceptable uses:

  1. Is hateful, harassing, threatening, libelous, defamatory or otherwise meant to bully or intimidate others;
  2. Is offensive or discriminatory to persons based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental illness or disability, marital status, economic status, immigration status, religion, personal appearance or other visible characteristics;
  3. Constitutes or furthers any criminal offense, or gives rise to civil liability, under any applicable law, including, without limitation, U.S. export control laws or U.S. patent, trademark or copyright laws;
  4. Constitutes use for, or in support of, any obscene or pornographic purpose including, but not limited to, the transmitting, retrieving or viewing of any profane, obscene, or sexually explicit material;
  5. Constitutes use for soliciting or distributing information with the intent to incite violence, cause personal harm or bodily injury, or to harass, threaten, or “stalk” another individual;
  6. Contains a virus, trojan horse, ransomware or other harmful component or malicious code;
  7. Constitutes junk mail, phishing, spam or unauthorized broadcast email;
  8. Violates the security of any other computer or network or constitutes unauthorized access or attempts to circumvent any security measures;
  9. Obtains access to another individual’s CPS Network account, files or data, or modifies their files, data or passwords;
  10. Impersonates any person living or dead, organization, business, or other entity;
  11. Degrades the performance of, causes a security risk or otherwise threatens the integrity or efficient operation of, the CPS Network or Computer Resources;
  12. Deprives an authorized individual from accessing CPS Network or Computer Resources;
  13. Obtains Computer Resources or CPS Network access beyond those authorized;
  14. Engages in unauthorized or unlawful entry into a CPS Network system;
  15. Enables or constitutes wagering or gambling of any kind;
  16. Accesses, distributes, downloads or uses games except when an assigned educational activity;
  17. Promotes or participates in any way in unauthorized raffles or fundraisers;
  18. Plagiarizing any information gained on or through use of the CPS Network or Computer Resources;
  19. Engages in private business, commercial or other activities for personal financial gain;
  20. Accesses or distributes unauthorized information regarding user passwords or security systems;
  21. Falsifies, tampers with or makes unauthorized changes, additions or deletions to data located on the CPS Network or school systems;
  22. Installs, downloads or uses unauthorized or unlicensed software or third party system;
  23. Violates the terms of use specified for a particular Computer Resource, CPS Network system or school system;
  24. Violates any express prohibition noted in this policy or the Student Code of Conduct;
  25. Engages in hacking (intentionally gaining access by illegal means or without authorization) into the CPS Network or school system to access unauthorized information, or to otherwise circumvent information security systems;
  26. Engages in inappropriate sexual conduct, including unwelcomed sexual contact, indecent exposure, transmitting sexually suggestive images, or other sexual activities;
  27. Downloads unauthorized games, programs, files, electronic media, and/or stand-alone applications from the internet that may cause a threat to the CPS Network;
  28. Constitutes use that disrupts the proper and orderly operation of the school;
  29. Use of proxy servers or virtual private networks to bypass network security systems (firewalls, etc.); or
  30. Accesses, distributes or downloads non-educational materials or inappropriate content or materials.

Report Improper Conduct

Students should promptly report to a teacher or other school staff member any communication they receive that is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable. If a student is harassed, intimidated, bullied or threatened through the CPS Network, Computer Resources or otherwise, he/she should contact their principal or the Office of Student Protections & Title IX at 773-535-4400.