Table of Contents for the School District Department of Technology Act of 2025

1. Introduction
   • Overview and purpose of the Act.
2. Election of Director of Technology
   • Establishment, responsibilities, and benefits of an elected Director.
3. Definitions
   • Key terms used in the Act.
4. Establishment of Departments
   • Framework for creating technology departments in districts.
5. Implementation Requirements
   • Timeline and phases for deploying departments.
6. Department Structure and Staffing
   • Recommended roles and staffing ratios.
7. Parental Rights
   • Guidelines for response times and language support.
8. Privacy and Data Protection
   • Standards for data security and compliance.
9. Technology Access
   • Requirements for student access and emergency remote learning.
10. Ethics Review Panel
    • Establishment and composition.
11. Enforcement and Appeals
    • Monitoring, compliance, and appeals processes.
12. Severability
13. Funding Authorization
    • Budget and funding allocations.
14. Effective Date and Review

Explanation

The Act provides guidelines for school districts to create technology departments to enhance educational technology, protect student privacy, and ensure transparency. It includes provisions for staffing, data security, and community involvement through an elected Director of Technology. The Act also focuses on privacy rights, access to technology, and funding, ensuring that all districts can implement these changes effectively.

For more details, visit School District Department of Technology Act of 2025.

---

119th CONGRESS
2d Session

H. R. __123

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To establish guidelines for school district departments of technology, to protect student privacy, to promote transparency in educational technology, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

---

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “School District Department of Technology Act of 2025.”

---

SEC. 2. ELECTING A DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY: EMPOWERING LOCAL OVERSIGHT.

(a) Establishment of an Elected Position.—Under this Act, the position of Director of Technology shall be filled through a democratic process, with the Director elected directly by the qualified voters of the school district. This ensures accountability to the community, empowering voters to choose a leader aligned with their educational technology priorities. The Director of Technology must be a current and qualified voter in the School District.

(b) Responsibilities of the Elected Director.—An elected Director of Technology shall prioritize:

1. Cybersecurity and Data Privacy—Ensuring protection of student information and adherence to strict data security measures.
2. Digital Infrastructure and Technology Training—Developing robust infrastructure and advancing technology training programs.
3. Community Engagement—Upholding transparency by addressing unique local needs and actively involving the community in technology-related decisions that impact students, teachers, and families.

(c) Benefits of the Election Process.—This process secures a Director committed to:

1. Investing Wisely in Resources—Allocating resources efficiently to enhance educational environments.
2. Meeting Community Expectations—Maintaining a direct connection to the community’s voice in technology management, promoting transparency and trust.
3. Advancing Educational Goals—Focusing on technology strategies that prepare students for future careers and align with local priorities.

---

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

1. Educational Technology.—The term “educational technology” means any digital tool, software, platform, or device used to facilitate, measure, or support teaching and learning.
2. Personal Data.—The term “personal data” means any information that can be used to identify, contact, or locate an individual student, including—

• (A) name, address, and telephone number;
• (B) educational records and performance data;
• (C) behavioral data and observations;
• (D) health and medical information;
• (E) biometric data; and
• (F) device identifiers and online activities.

1. Artificial Intelligence.—The term “artificial intelligence” means any computer system capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, including—

• (A) pattern recognition;
• (B) natural language processing;
• (C) decision-making; and
• (D) adaptive learning.

1. Department.—The term “Department” means a School District Department of Technology established under this Act.
2. Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Education.

---

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL DISTRICT DEPARTMENTS OF TECHNOLOGY.

(a) In General.—Each local educational agency may establish a Department of Technology in accordance with this Act.

(b) Purpose.—The purpose of each Department shall be to—

1. monitor and evaluate technology effectiveness;
2. establish clear accountability measures;
3. provide technical support and infrastructure;
4. ensure business continuity and disaster recovery; and
5. support professional development.

---

SEC. 5. IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Timeline.

1. Planning Phase.—During the 6-month period following the establishment of a Department, the local educational agency shall—

• (A) conduct Department leadership hiring;
• (B) develop initial policies; and
• (C) initiate technology audits.

1. Implementation Phase.—During the 6 to 12 months following establishment, the local educational agency shall—

• (A) hire and train staff;
• (B) develop infrastructure;
• (C) collect parent notification and consent; and
• (D) verify initial compliance.

---

SEC. 6. DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE AND STAFFING.

(a) Recommended Positions.—Each Department shall maintain:

1. Network Engineer, who shall—
   • (A) have real-world work experience in internetworking in a relevant field;
   • (B) have not less than 1 year of education technology work experience; and or related work experience.
   • (C) demonstrate leadership experience;
2. AI Engineer, who shall—
   • (A) have real-world work-experience in AI
   • (B) have not less than 1 year of privacy compliance experience;
3. Robotics Integration Specialists, who shall—
   • (A) related technology work experience in robotics
   • (B) demonstrate educational technology expertise.

(b) Recommended Staffing Ratios.—Each Department shall maintain:

1. not less than 1 Network Engineer staff member per 1,000 students;
2. not less than 1 Robotics Engineer per 5 schools; and
3. not less than 1 AI Engineer per local educational agency.

---

SEC. 7. PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT.

(a) Response Requirements.—Each Department shall—

1. respond to urgent access requests within 48 hours;
2. respond to general inquiries within 5 business days; and
3. process data modification requests within 10 business days.

(b) Language Accessibility.—Each Department shall—

1. provide materials in the 3 most common languages in the local educational agency;
2. provide translation services for technology meetings; and
3. maintain a multilingual support helpdesk.

---

SEC. 8. PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION STANDARDS.

(a) Technical Security Requirements.—Each Department shall implement—

1. minimum 256-bit encryption for stored data;
2. multi-factor authentication;
3. regular penetration testing;
4. automated security monitoring; and
5. incident response procedures.

(b) Audit Requirements.—Each Department shall conduct—

1. annual third-party security audits;
2. quarterly internal compliance reviews;
3. monthly security patch verification; and
4. weekly backup validation.

---

SEC. 9. TECHNOLOGY ACCESS.

(a) Minimum Technology Access.—Each Department shall provide—

1. 1-to-1 device programs for grades 3 through 12;
2. filtered home internet support programs;
3. adaptive technology inventory; and
4. technical support in multiple languages.

(b) Emergency Remote Learning.—Each Department shall maintain—

1. rapid deployment procedures;
2. AI verification processes;
3. alternative delivery methods; and
4. support for special populations.

---

SEC. 10. ETHICS REVIEW PANEL.

(a) Establishment.—Each Department shall establish an Ethics Review Panel.

(b) Composition.—Each Ethics Review Panel shall include—

1. the District Technology Officer;
2. not less than 2 parent representatives;
3. not less than 2 teacher representatives;
4. not less than 2 student representatives from grades 9 through 12;
5. 1 ethics and privacy expert;
6. 1 special education representative; and
7. 1 community technology expert.

---

SEC. 11. ENFORCEMENT AND APPEALS.

(a) Monitoring.—Each Department shall—

1. conduct regular internal audits;
2. obtain external verification;
3. maintain public reporting requirements; and
4. implement incident tracking systems.

(b) Appeals Process.—Each Department shall—

1. establish written appeal procedures;
2. respond to appeals within 30 days;
3. maintain an independent review panel; and
4. document all resolution processes.

---

SEC. 12. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act, and the application of such provision to other persons not similarly situated or to other circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

---

SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.—There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

(b) Minimum Funding Requirements.—Each Department shall receive—

1. not less than 2.5 percent of the local educational agency’s operating budget;
2. technology refresh cycle funding;
3. professional development allocation; and
4. emergency response reserve funding.

---

SEC. 14. EFFECTIVE DATE AND REVIEW.

(a) Effective Date.—This Act shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.

(b) Review.—The Secretary shall—

1. review this Act every 2 years; and
2. submit to Congress recommendations for updates or modifications as necessary.