Gaggle

PfISD has partnered with Gaggle Safety Management System to help provide a safe digital environment for students to learn. Gaggle is a safety management tool that helps support student safety and well-being when using Google Workspace for Education. It also helps ensure that students are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

Gaggle uses a powerful combination of technology and human intelligence to review students’ use of school issued online tools and provide real-time analysis of potentially concerning behavior or content. Gaggle alerts school officials if students show signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, credible threats of violence against others, or other harmful situations. With Gaggle, our District is better equipped to proactively identify students who are struggling, provide support where needed, and foster a safer school environment.

What is the Gaggle Safety Management System?

Gaggle is a safety management tool that helps support student safety and well-being using Google Workspace for Education. It also helps ensure that students are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

How does Gaggle work? 

Gaggle uses a combination of artificial intelligence and trained safety experts to review students’ use of online tools within Google Workspace for Education and provide real-time analysis of potentially concerning behavior or content. Gaggle’s technology scans students’ accounts for harmful content and alerts school officials if students show signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, credible threats of violence against others, or other harmful situations. 

Why is Pflugerville ISD using this system? 

The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. With Gaggle, our District is better equipped to proactively identify students who are struggling, provide support where needed, and foster a safer school environment.

Why is such monitoring necessary?

When it comes to school safety, students, teachers, administrators, and parents must work together as part of a comprehensive district-wide security plan. 

Our District is committed to educating and supporting students’ social-emotional wellness, and healthy ways to cope with intense emotions and handle the ups and downs of everyday life. In addition to the proactive and professional services delivered by teaching staff and counselors, resources such as Gaggle are necessary to identify students in acute distress and in need of emergency intervention to address suicidal ideation or thoughts to harm others. Identifying students in the midst of a crisis can make all the difference in saving lives and supporting students with the emergency resources needed. 

What is monitored by Gaggle?

Any cloud-based Google Workplace communications and documents are monitored, including, school email, chat, and documents created, sent, or received by the student using their Pflugerville ISD Google account. 

What is not monitored by Gaggle?

Any form of digital communication not using a district Google account or 1:1 District provided device including, but not limited to internet usage and web browsing, cellular phone calls, text messages, social media posts, and personal email accounts not tied to the district account.

Does Gaggle censor words, student work, and searches?

No. Gaggle has a list of keywords that it flags in order to determine if one student is using the words to target another student in an inappropriate, harassing or bullying manner. If these words are being used in student narrative writing, research, or some other educationally appropriate way, then no further investigation is conducted nor is any action taken.

What is done with the data collected?

Data collected by Gaggle focuses on PfISD email, chat, and documents and does not collect sensitive information. No data is shared with third parties and any personal identifiable information collected is available only to the designated school district personnel to help intervene and provide student assistance and ensure student safety.

Does Gaggle Safety Management work with social networks like Facebook or Snapchat?

Gaggle Safety Management works exclusively with communication and collaboration tools that schools provide to their students. However, students often use their school-provided email accounts to sign up for social networks. When this happens, email alerts or notifications from that specific social network account will become part of Gaggle Safety Management.

How is a web filter different from Gaggle?

A web filter is a software designed to restrict or control the online content that a user is allowed to access. The intention is to keep someone or something out of an unhealthy area. Gaggle’s goal is to provide early warning detection of harmful situations and to help our District decide where to direct resources to address digital citizenship, bullying prevention, and mental health issues.