Google Play for Education. Part I

Google Play for Education is an app store that is designed exclusively for teachers and educators. The Chrome Web Store is great but it is filled with content that may not be relevant for schools. The Google Play for Education store is different. Apps within this environment have already been vetted by educators for their educational purpose. The Play for Education stores allows teachers to push out apps individually, to small groups, or to their entire class.

What does this mean for WUSD Teachers?

The appearance of an app within the Google Play for Education Store does not mean it meets the student data privacy requirements as outlined by SOPIPA as outlined in the Technology Update 12/16/15.  Teachers will need to verify where the app falls within our approved categories-approved, conditionally approved with parent consent, conditionally approved with directory release, approved only for students over age 13, or not approved.

Next Steps.
Look for our Google Play for Education Part II blog post on Wednesday that will outline how to access the Google Play for Education Store, identify apps, ensure they meet student data privacy requirements, and push out to individuals, small groups, or whole class.