Student Online Privacy and Safety

Approved Learning Platforms

District 65 provides students and staff with a variety of digital tools to support teaching and learning. To ensure transparency and consistency, we maintain two public resources that outline what is available on district-issued devices and through district-supported platforms. To view these resources, view the D65 Instructional Technology webpage and then navigate to the tab "Approved Learning Platforms for Students."

Privacy Laws

We adhere to several key laws designed to protect student and family privacy:

• Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA): Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA): Effective July 1, 2021, SOPPA requires educational technology companies to safeguard student data and ensure it is used solely for beneficial purposes. To view District 65’s approved digital tools and related privacy agreements, visit our District 65 Digital Resources page.
• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): Restricts the collection of personal information from children under 13 by companies operating websites, games, mobile apps, and digital services directed to children.
• Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA): Requires schools that receive federal E-Rate funding to implement measures to block access to content that is obscene, involves child pornography, or is harmful to minors.
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): Governs the privacy of student education records, restricting access and use of student information.

Board Policies

To see Board policies related to the use of technology, please view Policy 7:345 Use of Educational Technologies; Student Data Privacy and Security and Policy 6:235: Access to Electronic Networks.

Securly Web Filter and Aware Platform

District 65 employs Securly’s web filter and Aware student wellness platform to safeguard students from inappropriate content and monitor their digital interactions. These tools are active on all district-issued devices, both at school and at home, and they work together to:

• Block access to harmful or inappropriate content.
• Monitor student browsing patterns, emails, and Google Workspace files for signs of distress, such as bullying or self-harm.
• Notify school leaders and support staff for timely intervention if needed.

YouTube Moderation

Student access to YouTube is restricted through Google’s "Moderated Mode," ensuring that only age-appropriate content is accessible. This mode filters out unsuitable videos, allowing educators and students to safely use YouTube as an educational resource.

Device Management Tools

• Apple Classroom: Available to educators in grades K-3 and 5-8, this tool allows teachers to monitor and manage student activities on iPads, ensuring focus during lessons.
• Securly Classroom: For 4th grade classrooms, this tool enables teachers to monitor Chromebook usage, block distracting websites, and maintain a focused learning environment.

Digital Citizenship and Computer Literacy

Digital citizenship and computer literacy are integral components of our educational approach. District 65 supports students in developing essential skills by aligning our curriculum with the Illinois Instructional Mandates, I-SAIL Standards, Illinois Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards.

Illinois Instructional Mandates

Our district is committed to meeting and exceeding the Illinois requirements for student internet safety and computer literacy skills:

• Internet Safety Education (K-12): While the state requires instruction for grades 3-12, District 65 provides age-appropriate Internet Safety Education for all students in grades K-8.
  • Grades K-5: Instruction is integrated into Library Media classes as part of Research & Digital Literacy units.
  • Grades 6-8: Instruction is aligned with the Illinois Standards Aligned Instruction for Libraries (I-SAIL) Standard #3: Digital Literacy, ensuring students understand the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living in a digital world.
• Computer Literacy Skills (K-12): In accordance with Illinois mandates, all students receive developmentally appropriate opportunities to gain computer literacy skills embedded across the curriculum at every grade level. Educators incorporate skills and resources from the Computer Literacy Knowledge and Skill Development Continuum to build foundational technical skills, data security awareness, and privacy practices.

Computer Science

Students engage in Computer Science specials in grades 2, 3, and 5. These learning opportunities integrate:

• Illinois Computer Science Standards: Including algorithms, programming, and the impacts of computing.
• Computer Literacy Skills: Practical hardware and software proficiency.
• Internet Safety: Real-world application of privacy and security.

Illinois State Standards & ISTE Standards

• Illinois State Standards Intersection: There is a purposeful intersection with technology and digital literacies within all Illinois English Language Arts, Spanish Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Science standards. These core state standards specifically reference the use of digital tools, keyboarding, technology, and engineering in respective content areas.
• ISTE Standards: We continue to build knowledge and incorporate ISTE Student Standards across all grade levels to ensure students develop informed and responsible technology habits.

Securly Home App

To support families in monitoring their child’s online activities at home, District 65 offers the Securly Home App. This app allows parents to:

• View their child’s online activity in real time.
• Set up custom filters and controls.
• Receive alerts for concerning behavior.

Below are resources that families can use to get started:

• D65 Getting Started with Securly Home (English).pdf
• D65 Getting Started with Securly Home (Español).pdf
• Securly Home Parent FAQ (English).pdf
• Securly Home Parent FAQ (Español).pdf

Note about Securly Home timestamps

Have you noticed a check-in timestamp at an odd hour — maybe late at night or during a time when you know your student wasn’t using their device? This is likely not due to your child’s activity, but rather background processes from district-managed software and services. (View examples: English / Spanish) These timestamps are typically generated by the following systems:

• Learn Platform Activity: This app is installed on district-issued iPads to collect data about educational websites and apps used by students. Occasionally, it may appear in reports even when it’s just running in the background. If your child taps on the app, it won’t visibly open since it doesn’t have a user interface — it runs passively.

• Casper / JAMF Check-ins: JAMF is our mobile device management system. It regularly checks in with iPads to apply updates, enforce settings, or ensure the device is functioning properly. These check-ins can create timestamps, but they don’t reflect anything the student is doing.
• Google Fonts / Tag Manager: These are part of Google’s background services. They may periodically refresh or check in on the device, which can also create timestamps — again, with no action required from the student.

Screen Time on iPads

Families with students who have district-issued iPads (grades K-3 and 5-8) can use Apple's Screen Time feature to manage app usage and schedule downtime when devices are out of the district.  If interested, see the steps to Set up Screen Time on iPad to help limit app usage and schedule downtime. Please note that if parental Screen Time settings interfere with classroom learning, the Technology Services team can reset those settings based on educator guidance.

Family Resources

We encourage families to explore the following resources to support responsible technology use at home:

• Facebook Family Safety Center
• Connect Safely
• Common Sense Media

Electronic networks are a part of the District’s instructional program and serve to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. For more information, see Policy 6:235: Access to Electronic Networks.

Acceptable Use Agreement for Student Access to and Use of Networked District 65 Information Resources

With Internet access come responsibilities. Evanston/Skokie School District 65 provides access to and integrates thoughtful use of technology-based resources throughout the curriculum and provides guidance and instruction in the appropriate use of these resources in the school.

Equipment and Network

District 65 students have access to a wide array of technology and software to promote learning. Students are expected to respect and take care of the hardware and software that is provided. Intentional damage to equipment, software, or the network will result in disciplinary action and charges for repair or replacement to the student’s family.

The Internet

The Internet is an electronic network connecting hundreds of thousands of computers and millions of individual users all over the world. This technology propels our schools through the communication age by allowing students and staff to access and use resources from distant computers, communicate and collaborate with other individuals and groups around the world, and significantly expands their available information base. Families should be aware, however, that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive to some people.

Appropriate Internet access is the shared responsibility of the school, the student, and the family. Parents/guardians have responsibility for agreements their children make or actions they take and, outside of school, for setting and conveying the standards their children should follow when using any media or information service. Students are responsible for good behavior on these electronic resources.

The district's intent is to make Internet access secure while furthering educational goals and objectives. The district institutes required filtering and other technical methods to regulate students' Internet access. Those methods do not always guarantee compliance with the district's Acceptable Use Policy. If a student accesses objectionable or inappropriate material, they should immediately report it to their teachers or staff at Information Services. Ultimately, parents/guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources.

The district offers parents/guardians the option of requesting alternative activities not requiring Internet use for their minor children.

Privacy and Security

Equipment,​ ​network​ ​resources,​ ​messages,​ ​files,​ ​programs​ ​and​ ​software​ ​applications​ ​that​ ​are​ ​stored​ ​on​ ​or​ ​relayed by​ ​District​ ​65’s​ ​computers​ ​and​ ​servers​ ​are​ ​not​ ​private.​ District 65 and its representatives employ mechanisms to monitor all users’ on-line activities, including website browsing, email use, chat room participation, and other forms of electronic communications. District 65 reserves the right to monitor any users' online activities, at any time, with or without notice, and to access review, copy, store, or delete any electronic communications or files and disclose them to others as it deems necessary.

Restrictions

In compliance with the Illinois Harassing and Obscene Communications Act, (720 ILCS 135/0.01), the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Illinois Internet Safety Education Act (105 ILCS 5/27-13.3) and all other applicable local, state and federal statutes and guidelines, the following activities are not permitted on District 65’s electronic resources:

• Accessing, uploading, downloading, transmitting, displaying or distributing obscene, abusive, intimidating, threatening, defamatory or sexually explicit material or language or otherwise harassing students or staff.
• Transmitting a student’s personal information, work or picture with identifiable information without written parental permission.
• Using another person's passwords; trespassing in another person's folders, work or file.
• Selling or buying anything over the Internet for personal financial gain; or selling or purchasing any illegal substance.
• Using the Internet for advertising or promotion, including conducting for-profit business activities or engaging in solicitation for non-profit groups, religious purposes, lobbying, or votes.
• Damaging computers, computer systems or computer networks; vandalizing, damaging or disabling the property of another person or organization; debilitating or disabling computers, systems or networks through the intentional mis- or over-use of electronic distribution or storage space, the spreading of computer "viruses,” or hacking.
• Violating copyright, or otherwise using another person's intellectual property without his or her prior approval or proper citation; using another person's passwords; trespassing in another person's folders, work or files.
• District 65’s technology resources, communications systems, email, and web site are not a public forum.

Sanctions

Violations of District 65 and school networked information resources policies could result in the loss of access to the resources. Additional disciplinary action may be determined at the building or classroom level in line with existing practice for language and behavior. When appropriate, law enforcement agencies may become involved. A full, detailed list of restrictions and sanctions are detailed in the District 65 Student Handbook.

Beginning February 2025, Chute Middle School engaged in piloting a new YouTube access model in which students could only view YouTube videos that were shared by their teachers directly through Google Classroom. This change allowed educators to continue using high-quality video content to enhance instruction while reducing digital distractions.

The Technology Services team received positive feedback from Chute educators and families. Students were still able to engage with educational video content as part of their learning, and we observed a notable decrease in non-instructional video viewing during school hours.

Based on these encouraging results, students no longer have open access to the YouTube website on district devices, whether at school or at home. This YouTube access model was implemented across all District 65 schools starting on the first day of summer break, June 6, 2025. Students will still be able to view YouTube videos that are shared by their teachers through Google Classroom. Students at Park School will continue to have access to YouTube through the YouTube and YouTube Kids apps to support their educational needs.

We recognize that this may be a challenging shift for some students. However, this change is being made to help students engage more meaningfully with learning content, support safer and more intentional use of technology, and reduce digital distractions.