Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


New CoSN Report Offers Guidance on Responsible Technology Use in Schools

Key Takeaways

  • CoSN promotes Responsible Use Agreements over traditional AUPs: The report recommends complementing compliance-based policies with RUAs that are clearer and more student- and family-friendly.
  • Guidelines emphasize clarity, positivity, and community input: Effective RUAs should focus on positive behaviors, use plain language, and involve students, families, and caregivers in shaping expectations.
  • RUAs outline key elements for digital citizenship: These include purpose statements, expected behaviors, guidance on digital integrity, misuse consequences, and student acknowledgment.

A new resource from CoSN provides guidelines for creating responsible technology use policies and supporting digital citizenship in schools and districts. In "Setting Conditions for Success: Guidelines for Responsible Use of Technology for Schools," the professional association for K-12 ed tech leaders argues that traditional, compliance-based "Acceptable Use Policies" (AUPs) should be complemented by more student- and family-friendly "Responsible Use Agreements" (RUAs) that prioritize clarity and guide constituents through real-world application. The resource was developed in partnership with ISTE+ASCD and the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools.

The document proposes three key ways to create an effective RUA:

  • Keep it positive. "RUAs should not be a long list of don'ts," CoSN emphasizes. "Instead, make them mostly about the do's of technology use."
  • Write in plain English. "This isn't a real estate contract or a piece of legislation. Keep the language conversational, human-friendly, and accessible to students."
  • Engage the whole school community. Provide students, families, and caregivers with a way "to have input, make suggestions, and ask questions," CoSN suggests. All constituents should have a role "in reviewing and shaping the expectations so the entire school community understands and supports responsible technology use."

According to CoSN, effective RUAs should include the following elements:

  • A clear statement of purpose;
  • Desired digital behaviors, aligned to digital citizenship skills;
  • Guidance on authenticity and digital integrity;
  • What to do when something goes wrong, including consequences for misuse; and
  • A place for students to physically or digitally sign the agreement.

The full report also includes RUA templates designed for primary and secondary schools, as well as advice for supporting a healthy digital culture. The resource is openly available on the CoSN site here.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Double exposure image of coin stacks on technology financial graph background

    The Budget Cut that Changes Everything in K-12

    ESSER funding, the post-COVID lifeline that enabled many districts to invest in data collection and research, is coming to an end. For districts that relied on those dollars to conduct surveys and gather community feedback, the impact is significant.

  • blue wooden cubes block texture abstract background

    Gartner: Worldwide IT Spending Estimated at $6.31T for 2026

    According to a Gartner forecast, worldwide IT spending will total $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase from 2025. Sectors experiencing the largest growth include data center systems, software, and IT services.

  • Wi-Fi icon on dark blue circuit background

    FCC to Conduct 'Top-to-Bottom' Review of E-Rate Program

    The FCC is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive review of its E-Rate program, the federal initiative that provides K–12 schools and public libraries with discounts on internet, WiFi, and telecommunications services to ensure equitable digital access.

  • large cloud icon with abstract code and interconnected polygons

    Report: Enterprise AI Workloads Are Tipping Toward Private Cloud

    Broadcom's 2026 Private Coud Outlook report says enterprise AI is moving from experimentation into production, with private cloud emerging as the preferred deployment environment for AI inference among surveyed organizations.