Outline of the state of Texas
State
Texas
Required

Category
Acceptable Internet Use Policies

Category
Acceptable Internet Use Policies

State law requires districts to adopt Internet use policies or to provide instruction on safe Internet use.

Texas Statutes Education Code 28.002 Required Curriculum

(z) The State Board of Education by rule shall require each school district to incorporate instruction in digital citizenship into the district’s curriculum, including information regarding the potential criminal consequences of cyberbullying. In this subsection: (1) “Cyberbullying” has the meaning assigned by Section 37.0832. (2) “Digital citizenship” means the Standard of appropriate, responsible, and healthy online behavior, including the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act on all forms of digital communication.

Policy Type
Statute

Texas Statutes Education Code 37.217 Community Education Relating to Internet Safety

(a) The center, in cooperation with the attorney general, shall develop a program that provides instruction concerning Internet safety, including instruction relating to:

  • (1) the potential dangers of allowing personal information to appear on an Internet website;

  • (2) the manner in which to report an inappropriate online solicitation; and

  • (3) the prevention, detection, and reporting of bullying or threats occurring over the Internet.

(b) In developing the program, the center shall:

  • (1) solicit input from interested stakeholders; and

  • (2) to the extent practicable, draw from existing resources and programs. (c) The center shall make the program available to public schools.

Policy Type
Statute

Texas Statutes Education Code 38.023 List of Resources Concerning Internet Safety

The agency shall develop and make available to school districts a list of resources concerning Internet safety, including a list of organizations and Internet websites that may assist in educating teachers and students about:

  • (1) the potential dangers of allowing personal information to appear on an Internet website;

  • (2) the significance of copyright laws; and

  • (3) the consequences of cyber-plagiarism and theft of audiovisual works, including motion pictures, software, and sound recordings, through uploading and downloading files on the Internet.

Policy Type
Statute