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Digital Tools

HCPSS uses a number of contracted Essential Digital Tools and authorized Supplementary Digital Tools to deliver educational programs and services, enhance educational experiences, and educate students about safe and effective online practices. A digital tool is any interactive website, application (app), or software that requires an account with a username and password.

Essential Digital Tools

Essential Digital Tools are digital tools that HCPSS considers necessary to deliver educational programs and operational services that support the goals of the system. These Essential Digital Tools align with HCPSS curriculum standards and are 508 COMAR compliant.

Examples: Canvas, Google Apps for Education, and Naviance.

Details:

  • HCPSS maintains contracts and/or data sharing agreements with the vendors of these Essential Digital Tools to protect students’ data privacy and security.
  • Students’ use of these Essential Digital Tools is required as part of the HCPSS curricular and operational programing specific to students’ grade level and academic programing.
  • In most cases, student accounts are created at the district level and tied to students’ active directory credentials.

Supplementary Digital Tools

Supplementary Digital Tools are digital tools that HCPSS authorizes to be used as supplementary (non-essential) enrichments to students’ educational experience.

Central office approval is needed for all applications and websites that require staff or students to:

  • Create an account.
  • Accept Terms of Service.
  • Need a login account to use.

Examples: Khan Academy, Kahoot, and Plickers.

Request New Supplemental Digital Tools →

Details:

  • Supplementary Digital Tools will only be authorized if they comply with federal and state standards for protecting students’ data privacy and security.
  • Teachers will notify parents of the Supplementary Digital Tools that they have chosen to use in their classes, and parents will have the opportunity to “opt-out” of their children’s use of these Supplementary Digital Tools. If parents choose for their children to opt-out of any Supplementary Digital Tool, then teachers will provide alternative enrichment opportunities for those children.
  • Student accounts are not automatically created. Accounts are created individually by the teacher or the student, depending on grade level.

View the HCPSS Digital Tools Menu

*Additional digital tools will be added to these lists periodically as they become approved.