Hi All CPS Staff,
This week's Privacy & Security Update is addressing the photographing, video/audio recording, and publishing of students and/or student work. Due to state and federal regulations, the school district is prohibited from capturing an image or recording of a student, including audio, without written parental consent. CPS operationalizes this by including a
"General Media Release Opt-In" form in the annual forms.
These releases not only cover the capturing of student images but also the publishing of these images along with other student generated work on the district's website, social media, general publications and Cambridge Educational Access TV channels.
Whether a student has a media release on file for the current school year is readily available in ASPEN. This year, currently 75% of the student body have signed media releases. Also, please keep in mind when taking photos, or video recordings, of students the data must be kept secure like all other student level data. The SchoolCam App is provided to all staff if you have a need to take photos of students with your personal smartphone and store the photos in your CPS Google Drive.
Lastly, if your school is hosting a public event that you would like to record or broadcast, and not all participating students have signed a media release, you may want to consider an event specific release that caregivers may sign to allow the recording or broadcast for the one event.
As always, please reach out if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend,
Steve