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Board hears technology update: parent off‑campus controls, WCAG 2.2 accessibility and device purchases planned
Summary
District technology staff briefed the board on a parent portal for off‑campus device controls tied to new state law (Senate Bill 159), website accessibility upgrades using Finalsite and AudioEye to meet WCAG 2.2 standards, and a request to purchase Chromebooks for district grades and PCs for Project Lead The Way courses.
Silver Creek School Corporation technology staff on May 26 outlined steps to implement parental controls, improve website accessibility and update student devices.
Mr. Smith said the district is preparing a parent portal that will allow caregivers to set more restrictive off‑campus rules than the school’s baseline — for example, blocking YouTube at home or setting screen‑time limits. The portal requires an invitation via email and a parent login; staff will provide training videos and an app to help families set preferences. Mr. Smith stressed that parental settings will not override school policies while students are on campus.
The presentation also covered accessibility work: the district’s site host (Finalsite) and an accessibility tool (AudioEye) now provide a set of user toggles designed to meet WCAG 2.2 requirements, which Mr. Smith said helps the district satisfy federal accessibility obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The transcript referenced ‘‘WAG 2.2’’; the district’s intent and standard practice align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2.
Finally, Mr. Smith said the district plans to roll out Chromebooks across district grades this year and purchase PCs specifically for the Project Lead The Way program because current devices do not meet the program’s technical requirements. The device purchase will be brought forward to the board as a formal request for approval.
Board members asked clarifying questions about implementation timelines, parent communications, and how the district will handle initial hiccups during rollout. Dr. Briggs and staff indicated invitations and training materials will be sent once the district finalizes the portal and internal testing is complete.
