Electronic Communications with Students

The bill sets clear guidelines and standards for how school personnel and volunteers can communicate with students electronically. The primary goal of the law is to reduce the risks associated with unmonitored or untraceable electronic communications. The law will ensure that communication is visible, secure, and accessible to school administrators and families.

Beginning June 27, 2025, all communication between school staff and volunteers - including substitutes - and students in the district will occur only through platforms approved by the Madison County Board of Education. These platforms are specifically designed to allow messages to be archived, reviewed, and documented, which supports transparency and accountability. Those platforms will include district email (@madison.kyschools.us), Finalsite Messages XR-E, Go Guardian Teacher, Google Classroom, and Edgenuity. These tools are secure, user-friends, and already family to many of you. They are also traceable and archives messages between users.

District employees and volunteers are permitted to communicate electronically with students who fall under the definition of "family members" as outlined by the law. Family members include parent, brother, sister, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, or grandparent. Parent is defined as parent, legal guardian, or other person or agency responsible for a student.
 

Madison County Schools will be utilizing the following Board-approved tools for communication:
1.District Email Account (@madison.kyschools.us)
2.Finalsite Messages XR-E
3.Go Guardian Teacher
4. Google Classroom
5.Edgenuity

These tools are secure, user-friends, and already family to many of you. They are also traceable and archives messages between users.

To comply with SB 181, the following are no longer permitted for school-related communication with students:
1. Personal text messaging
2. Non-district email messaging, including personal email accounts
3. Social media messaging or direct commenting or interaction such as “liking” a student’s post through social media
4. Any other non-traceable electronic communication application

Even if communication is well-intention, any communication that falls outside these guidelines is not permitted under SB 181. Violation of the law is punishable through action from EPSB (certified staff) or the Superintendent (classified staff).

A parent or legal guardian may provide written consent through the Board approved form for a specific individual employee or volunteer. This consent will give that individual permission to communicate electronically with the child through a designated non-district platform or platforms. Consent forms must be submitted in writing on the Board approved form and filed in the school office before any communication occurs. The forms can give consent to only one staff member or volunteer per form. Consent cannot be given to a broad group of employees or volunteers (ex. “The basketball coaching staff” or “the band staff”). Parents or legal guardians can revoke their consent at any time.

The Board approved consent form is the only acceptable form of written consent for communication outside of the Board-approved options. The form will be available online after the July 10, 2025 Board meeting.

Before the 2025-2026 school year begins, the district will be providing additional information, links to Board approved communication tools, and a link to the Board approved consent form on the district's website. 

The district will also communication updates with families through email and Madison County Schools app notifications.

We understand there will be many questions in the coming weeks and months as we implement this important piece of safety legislation. We promise to do our very best to provide families, staff, volunteers, and our community with as much information as possible during our transition to a safer communications platform for everyone.