Student Data Privacy
- Partnering with PVSD: Student Data Privacy and Parent/Guardian Involvement
- CIPA, FERPA, COPPA Summaries
- Google Workspace for Education
Partnering with PVSD: Student Data Privacy and Parent/Guardian Involvement
Pleasant Valley School District is committed to partnering with parents to ensure students are safe, responsible, and empowered in their use of technology. We recognize that guiding children through the digital world is a shared responsibility, and we strive to work closely with families to help students develop the skills they need to use technology thoughtfully and safely. Together, we aim to support our students not only in their academic growth but also in becoming respectful, informed, and ethical digital citizens as they develop into contributing members of our community.
Our Commitment to Families
At PVSD, we take the following steps to protect student data:
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Vet digital tools for compliance with privacy laws
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Limit data collection to only the data that is required for educational purposes
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Never sell student data or allow vendors to use it for advertising
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Train staff and students on responsible use and data protection practices
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Use secure systems for storing and managing student records
Parent/Guardians: Partnering with PVSD on this Technology Journey
We encourage families to:
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Talk with your children about responsible use of technology, online content, and digital media
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Review the PVSD Acceptable Use Policy (received and agreed to by all students and parents/guardians during enrollment) and review it with your child periodically throughout the school year to ensure they understand and follow the rules that help keep them safe. This effort by families will go a long way to help keep your child protected and productive in school, at home, and into their adult life
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Have regular, engaging conversation with your child about safe and appropriate online behavior
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Actively and consistently supervise your child’s use of technology at home
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Contact your child’s teacher or school if you have questions about how technology tools are being used in the classroom
CIPA, FERPA, COPPA Summaries
CIPA – Children’s Internet Protection Act
CIPA requires schools and libraries that receive federal funding (such as E-Rate discounts for internet access) to have internet safety policies in place. To comply with CIPA, PVSD:
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Uses content filtering to block access to harmful or inappropriate websites (LightSpeed)
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Tracks and monitors the online activities of students using their district accounts and devices (Google Admin Tools, GoGuardian Teacher, LightSpeed)
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Educates students about appropriate online behavior, including cyberbullying prevention and digital citizenship (Common Sense Media)
FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
FERPA protects the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA:
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Parents have the right to access and request corrections to their child’s education records
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PVSD cannot share personally identifiable information from student records without written consent, except in limited cases permitted by law (e.g., for educational purposes or with certain contractors)
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“Directory information” (such as a student’s name or participation in school activities) may be shared unless parents opt out
COPPA – Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
COPPA applies to websites, apps, and online services that collect personal information from children under 13. To comply with COPPA, PVSD:
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Reviews and approves technology and software tools used in the classroom for compliance with student data privacy laws
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Does not allow apps or services to collect personal data from students under 13 without an official privacy agreement in place that protects student data
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Limits the use of student data to educational purposes
Google Workspace for Education
At PVSD, we use Google Workspace for Education as an important tool for our teachers and students to collaborate. Students use their Google Workspace for Education accounts to complete assignments, communicate with their teachers, and learn 21st century digital citizenship skills on their devices using helpful tools like Gmail, Docs, Classroom, and more. In some cases, students may also have access to Alternative Google Services like YouTube, Translate or Google Maps/Earth, which parents may “opt in” to allow their child to use these services during their annual enrollment process. When we allow these services, we make sure they follow privacy rules and only use student information as needed. For more details about how Google protects student information, you can read their Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice.
Google Workspace for Education also provides our district Google administrators with a number of account management, tracking, and monitoring tools. We use these tools to help keep students on track and ensure we are implementing the most currently available best practices for how we use the many valuable collaboration tools found within the Google suite.
What is Google Workspace for Education?
The Google Workspace for Education includes core tools such as:
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Gmail – PVSD-managed email accounts (student gmail accounts only allow student-to-staff and staff-to-student communications | No outside email users are allow to communicate to/from students | Students cannot email other students)
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Google Drive – Secure storage and sharing of documents, presentations, and assignments. Google drives are tracked and auditable by district administrators
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Docs, Slides, Sheets – Real-time collaboration and content creation
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Google Classroom – A digital hub where teachers share assignments, post announcements, and provide feedback to students
To read about the pros and cons of "opting in" to Google Alternative Applications, see our "opt in" FAQ here.