20 U.S.C. § 7131
Internet safety
United States · Title 20 — EDUCATION · Status: effective
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- Citation
- 20 U.S.C. § 7131, Internet safety, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/453554
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Full text
No funds made available under this part to a local educational agency for an elementary school or secondary school that does not receive services at discount rates under section 254(h)(5) of title 47 may be used to purchase computers used to access the Internet, or to pay for direct costs associated with accessing the Internet, for such school unless the school, school board, local educational agency, or other authority with responsibility for administration of such school both—
has in place a policy of Internet safety for minors that includes the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are—
has in place a policy of Internet safety that includes the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are—
The local educational agency with responsibility for a school covered by subsection (a) shall certify the compliance of such school with the requirements of subsection (a) as part of the application process for the next program funding year under this chapter following December 21, 2000, and for each subsequent program funding year thereafter.
A local educational agency with responsibility for a school covered by subsection (a) that has in place an Internet safety policy meeting the requirements of subsection (a) shall certify its compliance with subsection (a) during each annual program application cycle under this chapter.
A local educational agency with responsibility for a school covered by subsection (a) that does not have in place an Internet safety policy meeting the requirements of subsection (a)—
Any school covered by subsection (a) for which the local educational agency concerned is unable to certify compliance with such requirements in such second program year shall be ineligible for all funding under this part for such second program year and all subsequent program years until such time as such school comes into compliance with such requirements.
Any school subject to a certification under subparagraph (B)(i)(II) for which the local educational agency concerned cannot make the certification otherwise required by that subparagraph may seek a waiver of that subparagraph if State or local procurement rules or regulations or competitive bidding requirements prevent the making of the certification otherwise required by that subparagraph. The local educational agency concerned shall notify the Secretary of the applicability of that subparagraph to the school. Such notice shall certify that the school will be brought into compliance with the requirements in subsection (a) before the start of the third program year after December 21, 2000, in which the school is applying for funds under this part.
An administrator, supervisor, or person authorized by the responsible authority under subsection (a) may disable the technology protection measure concerned to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any recipient of funds under this part is failing to comply substantially with the requirements of this section, the Secretary may—
The actions authorized by paragraph (1) are the exclusive remedies available with respect to the failure of a school to comply substantially with a provision of this section, and the Secretary shall not seek a recovery of funds from the recipient for such failure.
Whenever the Secretary determines (whether by certification or other appropriate evidence) that a recipient of funds who is subject to the withholding of payments under paragraph (1)(A) has cured the failure providing the basis for the withholding of payments, the Secretary shall cease the withholding of payments to the recipient under that paragraph.
In this subpart:
The term “computer” includes any hardware, software, or other technology attached or connected to, installed in, or otherwise used in connection with a computer.
A computer shall be considered to have access to the Internet if such computer is equipped with a modem or is connected to a computer network that has access to the Internet.
An elementary school or secondary school shall be considered to have received funds under this part for the acquisition or operation of any computer if such funds are used in any manner, directly or indirectly—
The term “minor” means an individual who has not attained the age of 17.
The term “child pornography” has the meaning given that term in section 2256 of title 18.
The term “harmful to minors” means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that—
The term “obscene” has the meaning applicable to that term under section 1460 of title 18.
The terms “sexual act” and “sexual contact” have the meanings given those terms in section 2246 of title 18.
If any provision of this section is held invalid, the remainder of this section shall not be affected thereby.
Legislative history
The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.
- No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
- Every Student Succeeds Act