General Internet Safety
TODAY’S CONNECTED WORLD
Internet access is an important part of modern education. It provides students with access to instructional materials, communication tools, research resources, and approved digital services. It can also expose students to inaccurate, distracting, inappropriate, or harmful content.
Washington County School District therefore combines internet filtering, grade-appropriate access, active supervision, digital citizenship instruction, and intervention when technology is misused.
WHAT DOES WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT DO?
Washington County School District uses a layered approach to student internet safety that combines prevention, supervision, education, and remediation. Technology-based filtering is used to restrict access to inappropriate or harmful material, while teachers, school staff, and parents provide the supervision necessary to help students use technology safely and appropriately.
WCSD STUDENT FILTERING FRAMEWORK
CIPA-compliant filtering is the baseline for all school filtering policies, with additional restrictions based on student grade level, developmental appropriateness, device type, and the instructional purpose of the technology.
- Kindergarten through Grade 3: Internet access is highly limited. General internet search is not available, and students are limited to approved websites, applications, and instructional resources.
- Grades 4 and 5: Students have access to a broader set of approved educational resources. Kiddle.co is the approved search option for these grade levels.
- Intermediate Schools: Access is expanded for age-appropriate instructional use. Digital products identified as 13+ or 16+ in LearnPlatform are not permitted for intermediate school students.
- High Schools: Students have broader access to approved instructional resources, subject to District filtering, software approval, classroom supervision, and applicable law and policy.
These standards are intended to balance student safety, legal compliance, instructional access, and the need to prepare students to use technology responsibly.
STUDENT IPADS
Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, student iPads do not support general web browsing through Safari, Chrome, or other general-purpose browsers. Web-only tools that require unrestricted browser access may therefore be unavailable on student iPads.
District-approved applications distributed through the App Store may continue to be used. This approach allows the District to provide approved instructional tools while reducing student exposure to unfiltered content available through general-purpose web browsers and built-in online services.
PARENT-REQUESTED PREAPPROVED CONTENT FILTERING
In accordance with Utah Code §53G-7-1003, a parent or guardian may request that the District require a preapproved content filtering system when the student uses a school-approved electronic device.
This option permits access only to websites and online resources preapproved by the District administration in coordination with school administration. It is significantly more restrictive than the District’s standard grade-level filtering and may affect access to instructional materials, applications, assignments, assessments, research tools, and other online resources.
When a restricted resource is necessary for instruction, the school will work with the parent, student, and educator to identify a reasonable alternative when one is available.
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND SAFE INTERNET USE
Technology-based filtering is only one part of student internet safety. Students receive age-appropriate instruction in online safety, privacy, security, responsible technology use, and digital citizenship throughout the K–12 educational program.
Schools also work with their school community councils to support digital citizenship goals and provide education and awareness that help students make safe, responsible, and healthy choices when using technology.
Additional resources for families and educators are available through NetSafe Utah.
THE 70/30 RULE OF INTERNET CONTENT FILTERING
Washington County School District follows the 70/30 Rule of Internet Content Filtering. This principle recognizes that technology alone cannot fully protect students from all harmful or inappropriate online content.
As a general rule, effective student internet safety depends approximately 30% on technology-based filtering and 70% on active supervision, instruction, classroom management, and appropriate intervention. Filters reduce risk, but they do not replace the responsibility of adults to supervise student technology use.
The concept is explained in the following video:
WCSD provides supervision when students use District devices in classrooms and other supervised school settings. When District devices are used away from school, the District continues to provide applicable technology-based filtering, but parents and guardians are responsible for providing appropriate supervision.
WHAT FILTERING TECHNOLOGY DOES THE DISTRICT USE?
Washington County School District uses iBoss Secure Web Gateway services as part of its layered filtering system. District network filtering applies protections to internet traffic leaving the District network. Supported student devices also use student-specific cloud filtering, which provides additional protection and allows applicable filtering to remain active when devices are used away from school.
The District’s filtering systems block categories of websites and online services that are inappropriate, harmful, unsafe, or inconsistent with District requirements. Filtering may also use domain information, website categorization, security indicators, user identity, grade level, device type, and other available technical information.
SEARCH ENGINES, VIDEO, AND ENCRYPTED CONTENT
Most modern websites and applications use encrypted connections. Encryption protects privacy and security, but it can limit the District’s ability to inspect the content within a website or application. Some applications also use certificate pinning or other security controls that prevent network-level content inspection.
Because of these limitations, the District uses a combination of blocking, approved services, enforced safety settings, grade-level restrictions, application controls, and supervision.
- Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 do not have access to general internet search.
- Students in Grades 4 and 5 use Kiddle.co as the approved search option.
- Older students may use District-approved search services with available safety settings and grade-appropriate restrictions.
- Direct student access to YouTube is restricted. Approved instructional video may be made available through District-approved applications, services, or embedded instructional content.
No filtering system can guarantee that all inappropriate content will be blocked or that all appropriate content will remain accessible. Staff and students should report filtering problems so they can be reviewed.
HOW ARE STUDENT DEVICES SUPERVISED?
The District uses Google Chromebook Management and Jamf to manage District devices and control available applications, settings, and internet access.
The District also uses ASE (Active Student Engagement), an in-house classroom supervision tool that provides visibility into student device use. ASE helps authorized educators and school administrators review browsing activity, verify whether students are on task during class, and investigate inappropriate technology use.
ASE supplements District filtering and classroom supervision. It does not replace the District’s primary internet filtering system.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TECHNOLOGY IS MISUSED?
When a student accesses inappropriate material or otherwise misuses technology, the school follows the School’s Digital Response to Intervention Plan. The process is intended to teach appropriate behavior, provide remediation, and apply fair and progressively appropriate consequences when misconduct is repeated or serious.
Students may lose access to specific websites, applications, devices, or other technology privileges when necessary to protect the student, other users, or the District’s technology resources.