WWPS Process & Procedures Concerning Internet Filtering

The West Warwick Public Schools adheres to both Federal and State laws concerning internet filtering of content for students attending the WWPS. In addition, district owned devices that are used during off school hours fall under the same protections and policies as if they were accessing the district's Wide Area Network (WAN).

This information is directly from the RIDE website.

NEW - Rhode Island Act Relating to Education - Health and Safety of Pupils

Section 1. Title 16 of Rhode Island General Laws entitled “Education” was amended and signed into law on July 12, 2016. The law states that each school district shall adopt a written policy addressing the use of Internet filtering measures for computer access in its schools. The policy shall:

• Include the specific categories of websites that are blocked by the Internet filtering measures in use; the basis for including those categories; and the individuals who are responsible for making those decisions;

• Establish a procedure for teachers to request that a blocked website be unblocked in a timely manner

• Specify the criteria used for overruling a request to allow access to a website that is blocked by the Internet filtering measures, and require that the teacher making the request be provided particular reasons any time a request is denied

• Each school district shall maintain a public record of any request to allow access to a websitethat is blocked by the Internet filtering measures and the responses provided, and submit an annual report to the school committee on the number of requests granted and denied to unblock a website.

• Each school district shall annually review the requests made in the preceding year in order to determine whether the categories and standards contained in the policy adopted should be revised.

• The Rhode Island Department of Education shall develop model Internet filtering policy for the guidance of school district, state schools, charter schools, and mayoral academies. The model plan shall, to the extent consistent with federal law, promote academic freedom in the classroom, and shall be communicated to all school districts in the state and posted on the department web site.

Text of the approved bill can be found at: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText16/SenateText16/S2172.pdf