Public schools that receive E-rate reimbursement for part or all of their telecommunications are subject to FCC guidelines and must be in compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act. (CIPA). To learn the basics of CIPA, go to: 

To be in compliance with FCC CIPA guidelines and school district policies, the Bainbridge Island School District uses content filtering software to monitor online activity and block access to sites that are not in compliance with CIPA. The filtering software categorizes websites based upon certain criteria. Sites categorized as not in compliance with CIPA will be blocked. 

 

Request to Review Categorization of a Website

While our content filtering software does a great job of categorizing and filtering most websites, the dynamic nature of  the Internet makes on-going website evaluation necessary. In addition, the specific section of a website you are viewing may be appropriate, but other content on that same site may not be appropriate. Our filtering system and process takes into account all of the content on a website. At least once each year, we will review and configure our content filters to ensure that our system supports educationally relevant websites and is filtering appropriately according to CIPA and school district policies.

 

If a student or staff member feels that a site has been miscategorized, here are steps to have it reviewed for access or recategorization. Request will go to a school district review team comprised of district technology staff and teacher-librarians. Final authority for categorization of a site or access to a site will reside with the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. Requests can sometimes be reviewed and processed in the same day; those requiring additional research may take up to 7 school/business days to make a determination. We will make every effort possible to be sure students and staff have access to sites that are in support of the district's goals and policies.