Google Accounts and Policies
Through Google Workspace for Education (Formerly Google Apps for Education and G Suite for Education), MCPSS is able to provide every student and employee with a Google account. These accounts are used to sign into Chromebooks and certain other Google services.
Students use the same usernames and passwords as for our Microsoft services (ex. student@stu.mcpss.com), but these are separate accounts. The Google usernames look like email addresses, but are not able to use Gmail. Microsoft Outlook is our email service for students and employees.
The following document describes in more detail the purpose and use of MCPSS Google accounts, along with what students can access through Google's "core services" and "additional services":
Google Workspace for Education Accounts
MCPSS uses Google Workspace for Education to manage the district’s Chromebooks and to provide students with a set of learning productivity tools and resources.
Students are issued MCPSS-managed Google Workspace for Education accounts for signing into Chromebooks and certain other “Core” Google services, such as Google Meet, Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Sites, Forms, and more. MCPSS does not use Gmail for student or employee email.
With parental consent, students are allowed to access certain other Google services with their MCPSS Google Workspace for Education accounts. Specifically, your child may have access to the following “Additional Services”:
YouTube – Students are given restricted access to YouTube through their MCPSS Google Workspace for Education accounts. By allowing restricted access to YouTube through an MCPSS managed account, we are better able to restrict access to objectionable content.
CSFirst – a computer science curriculum
Google Maps – web-based mapping product
Google My Maps – map creation and sharing
Google Earth – 3D global imaging and mapping
Google Bookmarks – webpage bookmarking service
Google Data Studio – data visualization tool
Material Gallery – collaborative design tool
Managed Google Play – content management tool for Android devices
Third-Party Apps Backups – allows third-party app data from Android devices to be backed up to an MCPSS Google Drive
Note – “Core” and “Additional Services” are terms that distinguish between two types of Google Workspace for Education services that have different terms of service and privacy policies. “Core” services include productivity and collaborative tools that are the main components of Google’s educational services for schools. “Additional Services” are designed for consumer users but can be allowed for educational purposes with parental consent.
The chart below highlights some differences between Core and Additional Services.
Services
Google Workspace for Education Core Services
Additional Services
Terms
Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice
Google Workspace for Education agreement and Data Processing Amendment (if amendment is accepted by the school)
Google Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and service-specific terms
Data use
User personal information collected in the Core Services is used only to provide the Core Services like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Information from all Additional Services can be used to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, and to develop new ones.
Ads
No ads in Core Services, and no Customer Data from Core Services is used for advertising purposes (in either Core or Additional Services).
Additional Services may show ads. For Google Workspace for Education users in Primary/Secondary (K-12) schools, Google does not use any user personal information (or any information associated with a Google Account) to target ads.
Security
Core Services are included in Google Workspace security audits and certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2 and SOC 3).
All Additional Services meet Google’s high standards for information security.
Sharing limitations
Google does not share Customer Data in Core Services with third parties, except in the limited circumstances outlined in our Privacy Policy (such as with consent or when required by law). The Google Workspace agreement's confidentiality provisions also limit how Customer Data in the Core Services can be shared with third parties.
Google does not share personal information with third parties, except in the limited circumstances outlined in our Privacy Policy (such as with consent or when required by law).