Technology

Education Law 2d | Smart Schools Investment Plan | Acceptable Use of Technology

Instructional Technology usage is an integral part of our vision to acquire new and exciting ways to meet all of our students’ needs, enhancing student instruction and outcomes.

The Cohoes CSD will strive to use the most up-to-date technology tools in order to:

• design learning environments that will meet the needs of a diverse learning community
• gauge and monitor students’ individual levels of achievement, using that information to make decisions about programs and support for student learning
• model and encourage collaboration between and among: students, teachers, administrators, parents and the global community

Education Law 2d

What is Ed Law 2d?

In early 2020, The New York State Department of Education adopted a new law focused on the privacy and security of student and staff personally identifiable information (PII). The Educational Law Section 2d, known amongst NY schools as Ed Law 2d, provides “guidance to educational agencies and their third-party contractors on ways to strengthen data privacy and security to protect student data and annual professional performance review data.”

NY Ed Law 2d Security Requirements

In order to strengthen data security and privacy, the New York State Education Department (NYSED), now requires the following of all educational agencies:

• Appoint a Data Protection Officer with appropriate knowledge, training, and experience to oversee data security and privacy.
• Develop and implement a Data Security and Privacy Policy.
• Conduct security training for educational agency employees.
• Publish a Parent’s Bill of Rights and include it in every contract with a third-party contractor that receives PII.
• Mandate that all third-party contractors submit a Data Security and Privacy
• Plan for each contract to demonstrate how they will protect PII.
• Adopt the NIST Cybersecurity Framework as the standard for data privacy and security and meet the requirements to ensure they are adequately protecting PII.

Third-Party Vendors

See the complete list of vendors the district works with along with signed Privacy and Bill of Rights agreements. This list will be periodically updated as needed.

Parents’ Bill of Rights

The Cohoes City School District is committed to ensuring student privacy in accordance with local, state and federal regulations and district policies. To this end and pursuant to U.S. Department of Education regulations, the district is providing the following Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security:

• A student’s personally identifiable information cannot be sold or released for any commercial or marketing purposes.
• Parents have the right to inspect and review the complete contents of their child’s education record, including any student data maintained by the Cohoes City School District. This right of inspection of records is consistent with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Under the more recently adopted regulations (Education Law §2-d), the rights of inspection are extended to include data, meaning parents have the right to inspect or receive copies of any data in their child’s educational record. The New York State Education Department (SED) will develop further policies and procedures related to these rights in the future.
• State and federal laws protect the confidentiality of personally identifiable information and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices, including but not limited to, encryption, firewalls and password protection, must be in place when data is stored or transferred.
• A complete list of all student data elements collected by the state is available for public review. Parents may also obtain a copy of the list by writing to the Office of Information & Reporting Services, New York State Education Department, Room 863 EBA, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.
• Parents have the right to have complaints about possible breaches of student data addressed. Complaints should be directed to: Peggy O’Shea, Superintendent at (518) 237-0100.
• Complaints to SED should be directed to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.

This bill of rights is subject to change based on regulations of the commissioner of education and the SED chief privacy officer, as well as emerging guidance documents from SED.

• NYSED: Data Privacy and Security Policy
• NYSED: Resources on Data Privacy and Security
• NYSED: Privacy Terms for Parents

Smart Schools Investment Plan

The Cohoes City School District’s Smart Schools Investment Plan was produced in accordance with the New York State Smart Schools Bond Act, approved by voters in November 2014. The $2 billion bond act is intended to provide school districts with funding for new educational technology and infrastructure improvements to enhance learning opportunities for all students across the state.

School districts can also choose to use Smart Schools funding to install high-tech security upgrades, to expand pre-kindergarten programs by building additional classroom space or to replace temporary classrooms with permanent instructional space.

The district’s Smart Schools funding is capped at $1,769,619.

Becoming Future-Ready

• Bright Bytes Clarity Technology Survey: Spring 2015
• Technology Committee Meetings: Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Winter 2016
• Instructional Technology Integration Specialist: Summer 2016
• Gmail Migration for Students and Staff: Summer 2016
• Going Google PD: Summer 2016 and Opening Day
• Piloted Chromebooks with Teachers: Fall 2016
• BYOD Policy: First Reading October 19, 2016
• Cohoes Google Summit: November 8, 2016

Proposed Budget & Spending Plan

• NYS allocation for the Cohoes City School District Smart Schools funding is capped at $1,769,619
• There is currently no expiration date associated with the Smart Schools funds
• SSIP budgeted expenses, once purchased shall be submitted for reimbursement through the SED Business Portal
• Our proposed major purchases are for high-tech security features (cameras and door access hardware) and classroom technology (1 to 1 Chromebook initiative, Grades 3 – 12)
• Other miscellaneous expenditures may include but are not limited to: Chromebook charging stations/carts, laptops, interactive projectors, MX800 interactive stations and Google Expedition equipment

High Tech Security Cameras

• Switching from an analog to digital camera system will give Cohoes CSD state-of the-art high resolution for facial recognition
• Upgrade of our record and playback features
• Eliminates existing blind spots district-wide
• Provides a graphic display of camera locations
• New system also supports synchronous playback of multiple cameras, making following an incident much easier

Door Access System

• Adding six locations for card access, allowing for enhanced building security
• Ability to integrate computer, phone and PA for lockdown emergency notifications
• Ability to receive text messages if a door is propped open or left unsecured
• New visitor management system, includes visitor identity badges & an alert feature identifying sex offender registrants

Chromebooks

Recommendations for staff:

• Acer Chromebook R11 738T (touch)

Recommendations for students:

• Dell Chromebook (touch)
• Rugged build
• 180-degree hinge
• Spill-resistant keyboard
• Google Support through 2021

Telepresence MX800

• Allows for integrated video collaboration
• Connects students and classrooms to others at a moment’s notice
• Allows for the sharing of content to mobile devices
• Camera tracks and follows the speaker

Google Expedition

• Field trips to virtually anywhere
• Google Expeditions kit: everything you need to take a class on virtual reality tours: a tablet, virtual reality viewers, phones and a router to connect them all

Planned Expenditures

• High Tech Security Cameras: $652,961
• Door Access Project: $198,200
• Chromebooks (Students): $421,920
• Chromebooks (Teachers): $45,385
• Charging Stations & Carts: $28,600
• MX800 Interactive Stations: $41,953
• Laptops/Carts: $145,600
• Google Expedition: $ 10,000
• Interactive Projectors: $225,000
  SSIP Total Budget: $1,769,619

Timeline and Next Steps

• October 5, 2016: Technology Plan approved by Board of Education
• October 13, 2016: Met with Technology Committee to review & discuss Smart Schools Bond Investment Plan (SSBIP)
• October 19, 2016: Public Hearing on SSBIP
• October 19, 2016: Board of Education approval of SSBIP (tentative)
• October 20, 2016: SSBIP posted to the District Website for 30 Day Q&A period
• December 14, 2016: Board of Education final approval of SSBIP (resolution to purchase equipment, pending SED approval)
• January 2017: Estimated SED approval of Investment Plan
• February 2017: Purchase plan can be implemented
• June 2017: Claims for reimbursements must be submitted