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Board backs three-year Google Classroom upgrade to restore classroom features and originality reports

Waterloo Community School District Board · August 12, 2024

Summary

District staff told the Waterloo board a three-year paid Google Classroom (Plus) subscription would restore features teachers rely on, including shared campus access and originality reports; the board approved the superintendent's recommendation by voice vote.

The Waterloo Community School District Board on Aug. 12 heard a staff recommendation to purchase a three-year paid Google Classroom (Plus) subscription to restore features that had been moved from the free edition to paid tiers and to add instructional and security enhancements.

Superintendent Dr Smith and district technology staff explained the paid edition would restore functionality important to secondary teachers, including shared campus access, and provide additional instructional tools and security enhancements. Staff noted an existing subscription to Turnitin remains available and that the district will solicit teacher feedback this year to determine if both tools are needed long-term.

The superintendent described the proposal as a three-year agreement billed annually and said the instructional and security enhancements informed the recommendation. Board members asked technical and procurement questions; staff replied that the move was driven partly by Google shifting key functionality into paid tiers.

The superintendent's recommendation was approved by voice vote during the meeting; the chair declared the motion carried and no opposing votes were recorded in the audio.

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