Outschool classes are only open to children ages 3-18 (no adults!), and learner safety is our top priority. Our safety policy describes how we safeguard our community. You can also check out our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for more information on our security practices.
We rely on Outschool parents / legal guardians and teachers to help us promote a safe and positive online learning environment.
To that end, as an Outschool parent / legal guardian, we ask that you:
Help your student learn and practice positive classroom behaviors before class starts. This includes helping them understand Zoom's basic features and allowing them to engage respectfully in class without distracting other learners.
Please review the Learner Code of Conduct and Learner Content Moderation for Parents with your children before they attend their first class.
Supervise your learners (from a comfortable distance 🙂) while they attend class until you’re confident they can participate safely and respectfully on their own. You know your children best! For older learners, this may take just a few minutes. For younger learners or those with behavioral challenges, you may need to be nearby for every class. Parents and non-registered siblings should be reasonably off-camera as a courtesy to other learners to maintain a comfortable learning environment and not distract from classroom activity.
For the protection and privacy of other learners taking classes, Outschool asks that adults not engage in on-camera conversations with other learners. Even discussion with an instructor should be limited to troubleshooting; parents should direct their logistical questions or any necessary classroom follow-up through the Parent Conversations Tabs rather than during classroom instruction times if possible. Please note that listening to or watching class from a separate device is against Outschool’s policies; teachers are instructed to remove duplicate logins.
Parents are permitted, however, to privately "meet" with a teacher in private 1-on-1 tutoring classes to discuss their learner's logistical needs, progress, and educational plans. Outschool reminds educators and parents that these discussions must be child-centered and that these sessions are recorded for safety purposes; no personal information should be shared to maintain privacy and professional boundaries.
Only children 3-18 may take Outschool classes. No one will be allowed in class unless a teacher can visually verify their identity at the start of each class. Names must match your learner’s Outschool name, so please ensure your learner's name is correctly displayed on your Zoom account. (It violates the Outschool policy for a learner to use their sibling’s or another learner’s enrollment to attend class.)
For security reasons, please ensure your child has their video camera on as they log in to class. Your learners will be required to connect with their teacher at the beginning of every class, so they must be prepared to enable their video to allow the teacher to confirm your learner's identity. If your family does not have a camera or feels uncomfortable showing their face on camera, please contact support@outschool.com to inquire about our Alternative Learner Verification Program.
Never ask teachers for login information or exchange Zoom links with a teacher via Outschool messaging (Conversations tab or classroom). It is against Outschool’s policy for teachers to share Zoom links, meeting IDs, or passcodes, as all class meetings should begin with the Start Live Meeting button for security purposes. If you have problems logging into your classroom, please double-check that you are logged into the Outschool website or App. Please get in touch with Ouscthool Support if you cannot access class so we can help troubleshoot.
Personal information (PI) should never be shared or requested except in cases to assist with educational needs (such as recommendations or reference letters). PI can include but is not limited to phone numbers, emails, personal web links, and social media handles. All communications, classes, and payments are to remain on the Outschool Platform. If your learner wants to keep in touch with a classmate off-platform, parents should connect with those other parents through the parent messaging platform.
Learning is at the core of what we do at Outschool, so we are big believers in the value of digital citizenship education for all kids. To help your learners develop the skills to stay safe on the Internet, check out the following resources:
Internet privacy, safety, and behavior tips from Google.
This resource is provided by the nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education.
This government resource covers cyberbullying and more.
This organization provides advice on media consumption for children, including an overview of privacy and internet safety and tips for different ages. They also offer a selection of video recommendations, like this video of 5 Internet safety tips for kids.
This organization provides a range of articles searchable by age and is funded by a group of major technology companies.
A national coalition of parents and advocates to defend the rights of parents and students to protect their data. Including a Parent Toolkit for Student Privacy.
We also suggest you seek out best practices from your friends and local communities.