Internet Safety Policies and CIPA

new requirements take effect July 1, 2012

SuAnn Witt, State Erate Coordinator, Nebraska Dept of Education

Requirements of CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act) 

CIPA requirements include the following items:   

1. Technology Protection Measure  
   A technology protection measure is a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access. It must protect against access by adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or — with respect to use of computers with Internet access by minors — harmful to minors. It may be disabled for adults engaged in bona fide research or other lawful purposes.  
2. Internet Safety Policy  
   The Internet safety policy must address all of the following issues:  

• Access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web  
• The safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications  
• Unauthorized access including "hacking" and other unlawful activities by minors online
• Unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors  
• Measures designed to restrict minors' access to materials harmful to minors  
• For schools, the policy must also include monitoring the online activities of minors

New requirements for CIPA come from the 2008 Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act

Internet safety policies for schools must be updated on or before July 1, 2012 and need to include new wording that provides for:  

• The education of minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms  
• Cyberbullying awareness and response  

Schools do not need to hold a new public meeting or hearing about amendments adopted to meet the new requirements unless required to do so by state or local rules.  

In case of audit or review, you must be able to show how you are meeting this requirement

Some Options:   

1. Hold annual training at all grade levels addressing these new requirements, and/or
2. Hire a vendor or purchase certain software designed to meet this requirement and assure that all students participate, and/or
3. Integrate educational concepts into curriculum objectives. Districts will meet the intent by including these standards references in lesson plans.

Internet safety is a citizenship/ethical behavior issue, and NDE has provided written objectives across all grade levels in the Academic Standards, Standard Instructional Tool, at http://www.education.ne.gov/AcademicStandards/index.html

The applicable standard appears at all grade levels under Language Arts and does change slightly from kindergarten through high school.  

Example: Language Arts, 7th grade, Multiple Literacy 4.1.c reads:
Practice safe and ethical behaviors when communicating and interacting with others (e.g., safe information to share online, appropriate language use, utilize appropriate sites and materials, respect diverse perspectives)

Conceptual Background  
Students are participating in digital communication at a rapidly increasing rate. Therefore, it is appropriate that teachers are preparing students to be safe and ethical digital citizens who are aware of the appropriate behaviors for engaging in digital communication as well as the potential dangers.  It is also imperative that steps be taken in schools to educate students about the dangers of cyberbullying* and how to respond to it.  

Each standard includes activities, lesson examples, and web links to aid in understanding teaching Internet Safety.

Additional Information:

Retain documentation of public notice (e.g., newspaper ad, flyer, announcement in other publication) and documentation of hearing or meeting (e.g., board agenda, meeting minutes).   
Retain legacy policies that may apply to any application year should a change occur.

* Neb R.S.S. 79-2,137 states:  
… bullying means any ongoing pattern of physical, verbal, or electronic abuse on school grounds, in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose by a school employee or his or her designee, or at school-sponsored activities or school-sponsored athletic events.