Technology Policies

Leveraging technology, in combination with the active and rigorous learning that is part of our YES Prep program, will help to ensure that students are set up for academic success.

All students will use a YES Prep provided laptop as part of their daily learning experience. This Technology Use Policy has been developed to guide the appropriate use of technology by students and families. Students and families must agree to the following terms to be allowed to use technology at YES Prep. Use of the technology provided by YES Prep is a required tool to ensure academic success. It is required that families agree to this policy as part of the Student Handbook and as a condition of use of YES Prep systems.

Students must follow the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. Students will also be in violation of this policy if the use of technology is not in accordance with state and federal laws.

Students shall understand that should they be found in violation of this policy. the consequences could include, but are not limited to: restricting access to the device, disabling device features or applications, the revocation of all network access, suspension or exclusion from school, or legal action by the authorities. Students and/or families should contact their campus administration if they have any question about this policy or its implementation.

This policy will be reviewed within five years of adoption, or when necessary due to signification change in technology access or usage by students.

Acceptable Use

1. Students shall not use their own personal information or the personal information of other students and staff electronically unless for valid learning activities necessary to carry out their education. Personal information directly identifies a person (i.e., name, address, social security number or other identifying number or code, telephone number. email address, etc.). This may include additional information such as gender, race, birthdate, and locations.

2. Students shall use the Internet and all forms of school technology responsibly. School technology includes, but is not limited to, computers, calculators, tablets, printers, copiers, cameras, and interactive web resources that serve educational purposes. This policy extends to use of technology that students may be able to use off-site.

3. Students shall respect the rights of copyright owners by limiting copying to essential materials and providing attribution (citations) for images and text. Students shall not engage in plagiarism, copying, or distributing copyrighted material, without the express permission of the author of publisher. Students shall avoid plagiarism by ensuring that their papers and projects reflect their thoughts and ideas as well as cited paraphrases, summaries, and quotations.

4. Students shall understand that the network is a valuable resource for teaching, learning, and many other forms of productivity for students, staff, and families. Students shall understand that downloading large files or streaming content may compromise network speed and should avoid this type of activity without permission.

5. Students shall understand that their participation in internet web resources (using a personal device or not) must represent what is expected from a student at YES Prep Public Schools. Anything that is considered inappropriate in the classroom is also inappropriate in all uses of email, blogs, podcasts, social networking sites, messaging/chat sites, or other digital communication tools. This includes, but is not limited to, disrespectful, bullying, profane, racist, sexist, or other discriminatory remarks. Additionally, students shall promptly inform a teacher or administrator of any suspected inappropriate content.

6. Students shall understand that provided Internet access is filtered. If they need access to a blocked site, they shall work with their teachers to explore options available and escalate to the district technology team. Students shall not attempt to bypass any block sites, set up virtual private network (VPN) connections, or circumvent the filter in any manner.

7. Students shall not misuse the YES Prep network to develop plans that harass other users or penetrate a computer or network. This includes methods of social engineering to obtain data or passwords belonging to other individuals within YES or misrepresent other users on the YES network.

8. Students shall not impersonate nor access someone else's accounts on any device. Students shall not delete or tamper with anyone else's files, folders, or work. Students shall not let another student access their accounts on any device.

9. Students shall understand that files, services, and devices provided by and/or managed by the district are not private. There is no expectation of privacy when students use the district's network, devices, and services, and anything they do can be viewed by the administration at any time.

10. Students and their families shall understand that unless superseded by the liability schedule of a specific program they will be liable for full repair and replacement costs for damage to school property, whether intentional of through negligence, including electronic devices.

11. Students shall understand that attempts to override, disable, alter, or circumvent security restrictions, management systems, or device firmware will be considered intentional damage.

Use the links below to download or view PDF versions of the Student Technology Device Use Agreement in English or Spanish.

Student Device Use Agreement - English

Student Device Use Agreement - Spanish

This section outlines all the policies YES Prep follows due to federal and state guidelines.  YES Prep has a educational interest in personally identifiable information from education records for purposes of reporting student data to local governments and protecting students. 

TEA 

The Texas Education Agency requires Standard Reports from YES Prep that meet general requirements for information concerning public education in Texas. Some of these reports comprise geographic information for each district and campus, while others contain listings of school districts or campuses by legislative districts. There are also reports that include information for high school graduates or information for student enrollment.  

CIPA 

YES Prep promotes digital safety and security by: (a) preventing user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, and all other forms of electronic communications; (b) preventing unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) preventing unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) complying with the Children’s Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)], the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act, and the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.

Prevention and protection measures have been put in place to block or filter Internet access to inappropriate information, including but not limited to, visual depictions of material deemed obscene, pornography, child sexual assault material, or any material deemed harmful to minors. Inappropriate behavior, including (a) unauthorized access, ‘hacking,’ and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors, is not permitted. YES Prep periodically reviews and updates the filtering rules to include content deemed appropriate.

YES Prep monitors all online activity to ensure appropriate use. Periodic reviews are in place to update approved filtering rules to include content deemed appropriate. Students and staff are enrolled in yearly programs to educate on internet policies and best safety practices, including how to appropriately use social media and how to recognize and respond to cyberbullying. Anyone who attempts to circumvent this policy will be subject to discipline in accordance with the code of conduct.

FERPA 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. 

Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, YES Prep Public Schools will follow Texas House Bill 1481, a state law signed on June 20, 2025, that requires all public and charter schools in Texas to ban the use of personal communication devices during the school day. This policy is designed to create a safe, focused, and distraction-free learning environment where every student can fully engage in their education. 

Devices Included in the Ban 

The following personal devices may not be used during the school day: 

• Cell phones, smartphones, and flip phones 
• Smartwatches and fitness trackers 
• Tablets, personal laptops, and gaming devices 
• Pagers, smart glasses, two-way radios, earbuds, and headphones 

General Enforcement 

Any personal device that is on or visible during the school day will be confiscated. A parent or guardian will need to come to campus to retrieve the item. 

Elementary Disciplinary Actions 

• First Offense: The student receives a verbal warning and is directed to store the device in their backpack or another location assigned by a YES Prep staff member. 
• Second Offense: The device is confiscated and turned in to the front office, where it will be stored in a secure location. A school leader will contact the parent or guardian, who must come to school (or send a trusted adult) to pick up the device. 
• Third Offense: A behavior incident report is filed. The student will receive lunch detention from a campus leader, and a parent/guardian conference will be required. The student may also lose the privilege of bringing the device to school. 
• Continued Repeated Offenses: Additional disciplinary action will follow the Student Code of Conduct and may include in-school or out-of-school suspension. 

Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, YES Prep Public Schools will follow Texas House Bill 1481, a state law signed on June 20, 2025, that requires all public and charter schools in Texas to ban the use of personal communication devices during the school day. This policy supports a safe, focused, and distraction-free learning environment where every student can fully engage in their education. 

Devices Included in the Ban 

The following personal devices may not be used during the school day: 

• Cell phones, smartphones, and flip phones 
• Smartwatches and fitness trackers 
• Tablets, personal laptops, and gaming devices 
• Pagers, two-way radios, earbuds, and headphones 

General Enforcement 

Any personal device that is on or visible during the school day will be confiscated. The incident will be recorded in DeansList, and a parent or guardian will need to come to campus to retrieve the item. 

Secondary Disciplinary Actions 

• First Offense: The device is confiscated and stored securely in the front office. The incident is recorded in DeansList. A parent or guardian must pick up the device. 
• Second Offense: The device is confiscated, logged in DeansList, and stored in the front office. A parent or guardian must retrieve the device, and the student will be assigned detention. 
• Third Offense: The device is confiscated, logged in DeansList, and stored in the front office. A parent or guardian must pick it up, and the student will receive a suspension. 
• Continued Repeated Offenses: Additional violations may result in more serious consequences, including longer suspensions and/or a non-compliance contract. The student may also lose the privilege of bringing any personal communication device to school for the remainder of the year.