The Digital Ecosystem in NPCSD
New Paltz Central School District provides 1x1 Chromebooks for students in grades 3-12. Students in grades 6-12 take their Chromebooks home. Our K-2 students have experience with Chromebooks and there are carts available for teachers to utilize, but exposure is intentional limited.
In December 2020, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) released the Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, K-12. The Introduction in the standards provides a clear rationale for the need to ensure that students understand know how to use digital technologies. We also know, as noted on page 8 of the standards, that "Sufficient access to a computing device and high-speed broadband is essential for educational equity." Additionally, the early learning standards in this document focusing on skills that are not computer dependent, such as sequencing, predicting what will come next, and creating and following procedures.
Digital Citizenship is part of the concept of Digital Literacy in the standards, and part of what we must teach is the concept of a digital footprint and to help students understand how to curate their own footprint, as well as to encourage "students to engage respectfully online with people with different beliefs and better determining the validity of online sources of information" (p.17)
To that end, we teach Digital Literacy in all grades. Our elementary library media program has a focus on the standards, and we provide a focus on all aspects of Digital Literacy in the Middle School Essentials course offered to all 6th graders as well as the new Life Ready course offered to all 11th graders.
Online and digital spaces are not all created equal, however, just as not all students are the same. NPCSD strives to utilize systems, platforms, and programs that utilize student/child-centered designs that support language, cognition, and even social-emotional development. Our vetting process includes both intentional instructional purpose articulated by our teachers as well as utilization of the SAMR Model. This short video can help to explain the SAMR Model.
We understand that engagement-based designs exist in the digital world and automatic algorithms can exacerbate inattention, addictive behavior and overall harm. We also understand that students' emotional regulation plays a key role in children's digital media use. As our Chromebooks go home with students in Grades 6-12, it is important for everyone in the community to understand how we help our students navigate the digital ecosystem.
In February 2026, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a Policy Statement entitled, "Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement." This is a great resources for caregivers as they help the children in their care to navigate digital environments.
We comply with Education Law 2-D, which protects student personally identifiable information (PII) from unauthorized disclosure. All programs/platforms vetted and approved by the District must comply with Ed Law 2-D. If you'd like to learn more about the legislation, NYSED has provided a Fact Sheet for Parents.