FAQ - Policy & Student Use Expectations

Yes.  All students in grades 3-12 will be issued a Chromebook and will be required to utilize the Chromebook for school assignments and activities while on campus.  Once a student receives his/her district-issued Chromebook, they will no longer need to bring a personal device, such as a cell phone or iPad, to class during the instructional school day.

The district’s cell phone policy will be updated to include references to the CLASS 1:1 Student to Device initiative. Once students are issued a Katy ISD Chromebook, restrictions specific to personal devices, such as cell phones, during the school day will be provided.  This information will also be included in the updated 2024-2025 Student Handbook and Discipline Management Plan.   

Yes.  Students are expected to adhere to the Student Responsible Use Guidelines for Technology within the Discipline Management Plan.  The responsible use guidelines address appropriate use of technology and will be provided to students and parents during the Chromebook check-out process.

No.  There is a standard interface and home screen installed on all district-issued Chromebooks.  

No. The district-issued Chromebook is the property of Katy ISD, even while it is checked out to the student. District-issued Chromebooks are secured in clear cases and labeled with the student’s name.

No.  Once students are issued a Katy ISD Chromebook, it will be the only personal computing system they will be allowed to use throughout the instructional school day.  

Effective learning is dependent upon safe environments and reliable access to resources — key priorities for both parents and teachers. Our district’s Chromebook devices support these goals by creating secure online spaces that minimize distractions and ensure consistent access to instructional materials, whether at school or at home. Additionally, the district’s web filtering network plays a crucial role in safeguarding students from inappropriate content, cyberattacks, and malicious activity, no matter where they connect their device be it at home or school.

Katy ISD has several Digital Citizenship and online safety tools on the Digital Citizenship webpage.   Additionally, campus library media specialists provide lessons around digital citizenship throughout the school year. 

Yes.  All campuses will have guidelines in place for students to request a loaner Chromebook in the event that the student leaves his/her Chromebook at home.

No.  If relocating to another school district, all Katy ISD-issued technology must be returned upon withdrawal from Katy ISD.

The district has historically implemented a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative, while also making available devices to those students who did not have access to one at home.  The challenge with BYOD is that any device (i.e., phone, iPad, Mac book, or laptop) could be brought to the classroom, which would oftentimes require teachers to spend a significant amount of time troubleshooting device issues, access, and capability.  By standardizing devices, more time is spent on instruction.

Students are expected to bring their Chromebook and charger to school.  Students should also routinely charge their Chromebooks each night in preparation for the following day.  However, should a student’s Chromebook require temporary battery charging while at school, the campus will have limited chargers available to students.

Students will continue to learn and engage in their schoolwork through a variety of modes, including hands-on experiences in the classroom, paper/pencil tasks, and digital-based activities.