As a director of information technology services for several K-12 school districts over the years, I have had many opportunities to learn how to improve technical services for schools. We are in the business of educating students, which includes—or should include—professional development, training, and education for the teachers and support staff charged with this important job. With educational technology tools changing at a rapid rate, it is extremely important for all of us to find ways to stay current.

One of the most prevalent issues that arose during my 18-year career in education was internet filtering; specifically, how much is too much, how little is too little, and how do you keep students safe from online predators, inappropriate material, and other risks. After all, we want to provide an open and engaging environment for teachers and students to explore the online world, use Web 2.0 tools, reach out to experts in various fields, communicate globally, and extend their learning beyond the four walls of the classroom.

It’s a fact that internet filtering is mandated for U.S. schools that receive federal funding. Federal grants typically have strings attached that require districts to comply with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA). What many district personnel don’t realize, however, is that the requirement is specific to pornography. Other internet content is allowed, but it is subject to district policy.

Therefore, the key to managing your way through this maze is to have a strong acceptable use policy (AUP), which lays out the rules regarding internet use and access for both staff and students. A strong policy created with community and parent engagement and school board approval will support you if there are violations that need to be dealt with. AUPs should be well documented and well publicized.

The other intrinsically important component is to teach all users about digital citizenship (NETS-S 5, NETS-T 4), including teachers, staff, administrators, and students. Several free courses provide online information with age-appropriate lessons. I recommend iSafe, Netsmartz, and netsmartzkids. Going over the AUP with students each year can help embed this knowledge.

Teachers need to be comfortable with their own level of understanding—and comfortable that their administration has the policies in place to support appropriate use. The analogies that we use when discussing this issue are: You don’t prohibit students from crossing the street; you teach them how to cross the street safely and make sure they fully understand what will happen if they break the rules. Similarly, we don’t just turn over the car keys to our students; we make sure they have driver’s training first.

IT services can help by working with administrators and teachers to learn what sites are educational and develop web filters with different criteria for staff, secondary students, and elementary students. While staff should have pretty much free rein, a higher level of filtering for the younger students might make sense. IT services work to keep the district’s level of exposure to litigation at a minimum by providing a safe, secure environment that is both open and engaging. This requires walking a very tight rope unique to K-12  IT managers.

Chuck Dinsfriend is the director of information technology for ISTE. He previously worked for 18 years in IT leadership for K-12 schools.