Agenda Item
f. Approval of Lightspeed Content Filtering and Classroom Management Platform Renewal (Not to Exceed $919,125)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the renewal of the Lightspeed Content Filtering and Classroom Management platform through CDW-G at a cost not to exceed $919,125.
Why: The purpose of this agenda item is to continue districtwide internet content filtering and classroom management services required to protect students and staff while maintaining compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) standards, and overall network security requirements.
Details: Lightspeed provides a cloud-based content filtering and classroom management platform designed specifically for K-12 environments. The solution supports district-wide compliance with federal CIPA requirements, which mandate internet filtering as a condition of E-Rate eligibility, while also providing instructional visibility and safeguards for student device usage.
The platform utilizes automated categorization, artificial intelligence, and real-time analysis to restrict access to inappropriate or harmful content while allowing access to age-appropriate instructional resources. Policy enforcement is centrally managed by district administrators and may be customized by school level.
Key Services include:
District-wide content filtering to support CIPA compliance and AUP enforcement
AI- and algorithm-based real-time web content analysis and categorization
Cloud-based administration for policy management, monitoring, and compliance reporting
Classroom management tools that allow teachers to monitor student activity, share instructional content, and reduce digital distractions during instruction
Financial impact: General Fund
100.1000.553200.00011.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
Contact: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.676.1274
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Pending Approval by the Office of Legal Affairs
Chronology: Lightspeed Content Filtering
The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) utilizes a districtwide content filtering solution to
ensure compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a federal requirement for
all K-12 school districts that receive E-Rate funding. CIPA requires school systems receiving
E-Rate funding to implement technology protection measures that block access to inappropriate
or harmful online content while allowing access to legitimate educational resources.
Lightspeed provides a cloud-based content filtering platform designed specifically for K-12
environments. The solution uses automated categorization, advanced algorithms, and artificial
intelligence to analyze and classify web content in real time. This approach allows the district to
adapt to emerging online threats while maintaining consistent filtering protections across student
and staff instructional devices.
The platform supports centralized administration and policy enforcement across the district.
Cloud-based management tools enable district administrators to configure filtering rules, monitor
activity, and generate reports to support Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) enforcement and ongoing
compliance monitoring.
Key Services:
● Districtwide Content Filtering
Real-time filtering of internet traffic to block explicit, harmful, or inappropriate content in
support of CIPA compliance.
● AI and Algorithm-Based Web Analysis
Automated categorization and continuous analysis of web content to respond to
emerging threats without manual intervention.
● Cloud-Based Policy Management and Reporting
Centralized configuration of filtering policies, activity monitoring, and compliance
reporting across all schools and devices.
● Classroom Management Tools
Real-time visibility into student web activity during instruction, including the ability to
close distracting browser tabs, block inappropriate sites, and share approved
instructional resources.
● Instructional Flexibility Controls
Role-based access that allows teachers and principals to temporarily unblock
educational content as needed while maintaining districtwide safeguards.
Lightspeed also provides operational and security visibility through reporting and analytics. Data
reflects active use of security-related filtering and classroom management features, including
monitoring of filter bypass attempts, blocked security traffic, and classroom device management
activity. These metrics support ongoing evaluation of policy effectiveness, cybersecurity posture,
and instructional technology usage
Procurement:
In accordance with Board of Education Purchasing Policy DJE III.D.3.d., the Purchasing
Department is authorized to make purchases through inter-governmental and educational
cooperatives, alliances, and consortiums to achieve cost savings and administrative efficiencies
based on economies of scale. Therefore, this purchase will utilize Sourcewell Cooperative
Purchasing Agreement #121923-CDW-G
Financial Impact:
Year Cost
2024 $896,040.00
2025 $891,765.00
2026 $919,125 requested