edtech for IT: Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

In 2000, the United States federal government passed the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) which is intended to protect children from inappropriate information on the Internet. Specifically, CIPA requires schools that receive e-rate funds to install and maintain filters to restrict access to inappropriate sites. CIPA does allow the filter to be disabled when only adults are using the network, but that is rarely done as children are hardly ever absent from school when adults are there. 

School IT professionals can be expected to verify Internet filters are operating and blocking traffic. It is usually obvious when the Internet filter is not working as students will be successful in searches they should not be.