Monday, November 7, 2016

Software Approval Process

Are you purchasing software for your classroom or school? What are the steps you need to take to do so? What is involved in evaluating that software for whether or not it works in our environment? Is this software safe and secure for students?

These are the questions that the Software Approval Process seeks to clarify for educators.

Your first step? Determining what type of software it is that you are looking to use:

The next step for software purchases and downloads is to submit an IT Service Request with the title of the software, links to information and a request to begin the software approval process. Once this request is entered, your school’s IT support will contact you to help guide you through next steps.

These next steps include filling out a form with the information that will help IT and Ed Tech determine if this software will work in our environment and if this vendor needs to sign the Data Privacy Addendum (DPA). Once these decisions have been finalized, you will be notified through your service ticket if your software is approved and if it needs a DPA signed.

If a DPA is required, Ed Tech will notify Purchasing who will work directly with the vendor. Your office staff will still submit a PO for the software, there just might be a delay in purchasing due to negotiations with the DPA.

If a DPA is not required, your office staff can submit the PO and once your software arrives, you are ready for install. If you need assistance in installing the approved software, please submit an IT Service Request.

If you are using software found online and is free (“click through”), check this list of "click through" tools to determine if the tool has already been reported as in use by BVSD staff or students. If the tool does not appear on the list, fill out this form documenting the use of that tool with students. You can read more about this process on the Data Security and Privacy page.

Please let me know what you think by commenting below.

Andrew