Copyright is the protection of intellectual property. It is the intent of the Little Chute Area School District, including its employees and students, to adhere to the provisions of current copyright laws and comply with Federal Copyright Law.
Certain uses of copyrighted material are allowed under "Fair Use" for educational purposes.
Students and employees are not to use, make, or produce unlawful copies of copyrighted materials on district-owned equipment, within district-owned facilities, or at district-sponsored functions.
Employees who make or use copies of copyrighted materials in their jobs are expected to be familiar with published provisions regarding fair use and public display. Employees who use copyrighted materials that do not fall within fair use or public display guidelines will be able to substantiate that the materials meet one of the following tests:
- The materials have been purchased from an authorized vendor by the individual or the district, and a record of the purchase exists.
- The materials are copies covered by a licensing agreement between the copyright owner and the district or the individual employee.
- The materials are being previewed or demonstrated by the user to reach a decision about future purchase or licensing, and a valid agreement exists that allows for such use.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
- Making copies of copyrighted materials instead of purchasing the material is prohibited.
- Except under “Fair Use”, copying, performing, or transmitting copyrighted materials without permission from the copyright holder is prohibited.
- District employees who violate the copyright law are liable for their own actions.
- Copyright notices will be placed on all District photocopiers, scanners, and fax machines.
LIMITATIONS ON EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS: FAIR USE
Many provisions of the federal copyright law affect the educational uses of copyrighted materials, but the most generally applicable is Section 107 - Fair Use. “Fair Use” applies four basic standards that must be considered together when judging whether or not there has been a copyright infringement:
- The purpose and character of use. (Is the copying being done for commercial or educational purposes?)
- The nature of the copyrighted work. (Was the original work intended to be consumable, for example?)
- The amount and substantiality of the portion used. (How much is being copied? How important is the copied part to the entire work? How many copies are being made?)
- The effect on the potential market for or value of the work. (Will the copyright owner suffer financial loss?)
SPECIFIC COPYRIGHT GUIDELINES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Audiovisual Materials
The “Fair Use” criteria outlined above should be applied to each intended use before copying any audiovisual works (slides, audiotapes, CDs, DVDs, photography, etc.) for classroom use.
Video Recordings
Copies of any of the following video recordings may be made by or at the individual request of a staff member for classroom use:
- “In-house” productions.
- Works that are not copyrighted or works in the public domain.
- Copies made under “permission to copy” arrangements.
The following programs may be copied off-air by or at the individual request of a staff member for classroom use:
- Instructional television programs (subject to the specific rights limitations).
- Broadcast programs provided they are used within 10 school days of the original broadcast.
- Programs with specific “permission to copy” arrangements.
Notwithstanding any of the above, the following shall be prohibited (unless proper licensing or permission has been obtained):
- Copying from premium channels (HBO, The Disney Channel, Showtime, Cinemax, etc.) or non-broadcast channels (ESPN, MTV, Nickelodeon, Arts and Entertainment, etc.)
- Duplicating copyrighted video recordings.
- Copying from one format to another.
- Copying off-air programs for the purpose of entertainment or reward.
Streaming Guidelines
- The movie must be covered by our movie license before showing it. Movie titles can be reviewed at a K-12 schools movie licensing website to ensure that we have copyright permission to be showing it.
- No streaming is allowed from any platform (Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc). Check if some providers have exceptions.
- During enrollment registration, parents/guardians agree to viewing permissions in grades 3 and up. It is implied that any movies under grade 3 will be G rated. Staff are responsible to check which students are not approved to watch movies.
The Regulations governing the copyright guidelines are not comprehensive and do not absolve the staff from complying with all aspects of the law.
Type of Work Allowed Use (Fair Use) Notes
Text (books, articles) Up to 10% or 1 chapter Must be for educational, non-commercial use
Videos/Films Use in-class if legally obtained No public showings unless licensed
Music Short excerpts for lessons or projects Cannot use entire songs in public performances
Images Small portions for projects or presentations Cite the source; avoid using full collections
Web Content Can link to or show in class Don’t download or repost unless permitted
It is not permitted to:
- Copying entire books, movies, or music without permission.
- Downloading or streaming pirated content.
- Posting copyrighted material online (e.g., on class websites or YouTube) without a license.
- Using copyrighted logos or characters in school-wide events or merchandise.
It is considered best practice to:
- Always cite sources (even if Fair Use applies).
- Use Creative Commons or public domain materials when possible.
- Get a performance or reproduction license for school plays, concerts, or distributing copies.
- Check if your school or district has blanket licenses (e.g., from ASCAP, BMI, or Movie Licensing USA).
Computer Software
Section 7(b) of Public Law 96-517 grants to the purchaser the right to copy a program if and only if:
- Such copy is an essential step in the utilization of the program in conjunction with a machine.
- The copy is for archival purchase.
The following computer software may also be copied by or at the individual request of a staff member for classroom use:
- “In-house” production.
- Works that are not copyrighted or in the public domain.
Notwithstanding the above, the following shall be prohibited:
- Copying copyrighted programs on district equipment.
- Using illegal copies of copyrighted programs on district equipment.
- Purchasing programs designed primarily as “break and entry” tools with district, state, or federal funds.
- Booting single copies of copyrighted programs into more than one machine without authorization from the copyright holder.
- Using “archival” copies of software as additional copies.
Staff members shall also adhere to state law provisions concerning the copying of data, computer programs, or supporting documentation.
The regulations governing the copyrighted guidelines are not comprehensive and do not absolve the staff from complying with all aspects of the law.
Music
The “Fair Use” criteria outlined above and the guidelines under “fair use” for music should be applied to each intended use before copying any copyrighted music or musical works. Permissible use includes:
- Emergency copying to replace purchased copies which are unavailable for an imminent performance.
- Making copies of excerpts of works for academic purposes.
- Editing or simplifying purchased work provided that the fundamental character of the work is not changed.
- Making a single copy recording of a student performance for study and for the school’s archive.
- Making a single copy of a copyrighted sound recording for the purpose of an aural exercise or examination.
Notwithstanding the above, the following shall be prohibited:
- Copying to create or replace anthologies.
- Copying of or from works intended to be consumable.
- Copying for the purpose of performance.
- Copying to substitute for the purchase of materials.
- Copying without the inclusion of the copyright notice.
The regulations governing the copyright guidelines are not comprehensive and do not absolve the staff from complying with all aspects of the law.
