SA Student Technology Acceptable Use
South Allegheny School District has released its updated 2025 Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), outlining the standards for responsible technology use within our schools. This policy serves as a roadmap for how students and staff interact with district-owned devices, network resources, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence. This is one of the documents parents are to sign off on annually before the year starts.
Why Do We Have an Acceptable Use Policy?
The primary purpose of the AUP is to facilitate a safe, productive, and instructional environment. By establishing clear guidelines, the District ensures that technology remains a privilege and a powerful tool for learning rather than a source of distraction or danger. It also ensures the District remains in compliance with federal laws, such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
The primary purpose of the AUP is to facilitate a safe, productive, and instructional environment. By establishing clear guidelines, the District ensures that technology remains a privilege and a powerful tool for learning rather than a source of distraction or danger. It also ensures the District remains in compliance with federal laws, such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
- Safety and Protection: Our Top Priority
The policy is designed to protect every member of our school community—students, faculty, and the district itself: - Student Safety: The District employs technology protection measures to block access to obscene or harmful content. Additionally, students are educated on network etiquette, cyberbullying awareness, and safe social media interaction.
- Faculty & Staff Support: Clear boundaries regarding "educational purpose" help teachers manage classrooms effectively, ensuring that technology is used for curriculum-aligned research and collaboration.
- District Security: To protect sensitive data and hardware, the policy prohibits the use of VPNs, personal hotspots, or unauthorized software that could bypass security filters.
New Focus: Responsible AI Use
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence, the 2025 update includes specific guidelines for Generative AI (like ChatGPT or Gemini).
- Academic Integrity: Students must use AI solely for educational purposes and are prohibited from submitting AI-generated work as their own original content.
- Ethical Conduct: Users are expected to interact with AI platforms respectfully and be cautious about sharing personal data with these tools
Key Responsibilities for Families
- Device Care: Students are responsible for the daily care of issued Chromebooks, including nightly charging and safe transport.
- No Expectation of Privacy: Users should be aware that the District reserves the right to monitor and log network activity to prevent unauthorized or illegal actions.