The Guilderland Central School District Technology Department has recently been informed by the New York State Education Department that we are required to make some changes to the way students use Google services.
This is a change being made statewide because of the constraints of NYS EdLaw 2-d as well as Google’s inability to meet the necessary standards to sign a Data Privacy Agreement (DPA) for additional service.
What does this mean for your child(ren)?
- Google Core Services (Gmail, Classroom, Drive, Docs, Slides, Forms, Calendar, Sheets, etc.) are unaffected. Both students and teachers can continue using these services as they are currently.
- Google Additional Services (YouTube, Translate, Earth, Photos, etc.) will be disabled for students upon return from the holiday break. This means students won’t be able to access these services directly.
- Teachers will still be able to embed YouTube videos in Google Classroom and in other educational apps for viewing by students.
- Please be assured that ENL staff is prepared with alternative ways of using Google Translate and translation services built into some Google Core Apps.
While these changes may appear to be significant, we are confident they will have minimal disruption to our students’ daily use of educational technology. Compliance with the EdLaw 2-d Privacy requirements aligns with the district’s unwavering commitment to prioritize student safety and privacy.