Technology is not only important but undeniably embedded in every part of our lives. Current students were born into technology and connectivity. It is important to appreciate the exponential pace at which our world runs now due to technology.   It is the role and responsibility of EdTech professionals to provide guidance to students and their parents in using it effectively and responsibly. Effective technology integration is necessary to provide students with the tools and experience to be successful in our technology-centric world. True effective technology integration in a school is transparent and utilized in such a way that it provides a medium for innovation and creativity.

At Hoover Schrum Memorial School District 157 we are now on our journey of providing the technology and resources to all staff and students that will foster innovation and creativity.

Technology Journey @ HSSD157

Digital resources and applications play a crucial role in enhancing and supporting student learning in the classroom. Teachers are encouraged to explore and incorporate supplemental tools that can boost student engagement and academic success.

As part of our district's process, Both free and paid tools must be vetted for security and privacy, ensuring they are SOPPA-compliant before being used by staff and students.

What is SOPPA?

Effective July 1, 2021, school districts are required by the Student Online Personal Protection Act, or SOPPA, to provide certain guarantees that student data is protected when collected by educational technology companies, and that data is used for beneficial purposes only (105 ILCS 85) as stated in the Act's Legislative Intent. SOPPA regulates student data collection and use by schools, the Illinois State Board of Education, and third-party vendors. 

Data Privacy Agreements (DPA)

As part of SOPPA, vendors must enter into Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs) with each district they work with. These agreements outline what data is stored, how it is protected, what the company can and cannot do with that data, and what they will do in the event of a data breach.  A list of the operators of online services or applications utilized by Hoover-Schrum School District 157 is available here:

 Hoover-Schrum Memorial SD 157 Data Privacy Agreements

Additional Information

Annual Notice to Parents

Student Data Privacy Laws

Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) Changes

Third-Party Curriculum and Web Accessibility

Third-Party Curriculum

The school district requires that any third-party online curriculum made available to enrolled students or the public comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 or a revised version of those guidelines.

Statement

The school district requires that any third-party online curriculum made available to enrolled students or the public comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 or a revised version of those guidelines.

We are fully committed to ensuring our websites and online resources are accessible to individuals of all abilities, regardless of their preferred access methods. Any new or updated websites developed by our organization will adhere to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA.

To reinforce this commitment, our designated website content editors receive training on accessibility tools and best practices. Should any user require information in an alternate format, we will endeavor to provide it; if that is not feasible, we will use alternative methods to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities.

Purpose

Our goal is to ensure that everyone has equal access to information and can fully interact with us through our websites and resources. Our websites are assessed for compliance by simulating methods used by people with various disabilities (e.g., using a screen reader or navigating by keyboard only), employing validators, and monitoring content on a regular basis. When assessing our websites, we target accessibility standards in compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We are committed to upholding our legal obligations and believe that ensuring equal access is our ethical responsibility.

Accessibility Challenges

Our websites were developed with accessibility as a primary focus. However, certain third-party services linked from our site may not fully meet all required accessibility standards. When we identify a vendor site that falls short, we reach out to determine their plan and timeline for achieving compliance.

All third-party service providers undergo a thorough vetting process to ensure they meet accessibility requirements. If a vendor does not intend to comply within a reasonable timeframe, we assess whether we can provide the service internally or transition to another compliant vendor, whenever possible.

There may be instances where we are unable to present content in an accessible format (such as forms or documents provided by third parties). In those cases, we are available upon request to assist website visitors and ensure they have access to the information they need.