To: Santa Ana Unified School District:

I went online and searched for the district AUP policy and felt that it was easy to find the

policy. All I had to do was type AUP Policy in the districts website and I was able to get

access. Besides being easy to locate, I also liked how the district website had a section for the

student AUP policy and a separate section for school employees. An additional strength of

Santa Anas AUP is that it is easy to read and expectations are clearly written. I also like how the

AUP repeats crucial information. For example, it mentions several times that electronic files and

any communication shared over the district network like emails, internet messaging, and voice

mail, are not private. Since using these tools does not guarantee privacy, it is highly

recommended that any confidential information about student, employees, or any District

affairs should not be transmitted without the proper security software.

I would highly suggest making the AUP policy available in different languages. I only saw

the AUP in English and Spanish. The majority of Santa Anas parents and students either speak

English, Spanish, or both. However, there are a small percentage of parents and students who

speak other languages. How will those parents understand the policy if it is not written in their

language? I would also suggest that each school should review the AUP in person with the

parents (perhaps on back to school night) for further clarification since some parents may not

understand the policy. Finally, I would also suggest that each school should post the AUP policy

in their respective school website.

The AUP states that the governing board recognizes the positive impact of technology

and internet based resources since it can improve the performance of district employees and its
students. Many teachers and students use the internet daily to post homework assignments,

make announcements, or provide additional resources on tools like Canvas or Google

classroom. Since so many teachers rely on these tools, the AUP should clearly define Distance

Education. In Teaching and Learning at a Distance, the authors define the four major

components of Distance Education. The authors declare, Distance Education is defined as

institution based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where

interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and

instructors (page 32). Since technology changes at such a rapid pace, an updated AUP should

be implemented and clearly mention the DE policies. It should state the advantages of DE and

how to effectively use DE to prepare students for higher education. Lastly, I would suggest

having a review of the policy before the start of the school year (perhaps during an orientation).

Sincerely,

Rudy Sanchez

World History

Valley High School

Rudy.sanchez@sausd.us