Copyright 
 
RISE Charter School recognizes that federal law makes it illegal to duplicate copyrighted materials without authorization of the holder of the copyright, except for certain exempt purposes. Severe penalties may be imposed for unauthorized physical or electronic copying or use of audio, visual, or printed materials and computer software, unless the copying or use conforms to the “fair use” doctrine. 
 

Under the “fair use” doctrine, unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted materials is sometimes permissible for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. While unauthorized use is allowable for these purposes in some cases, some uses are prohibited even if they are for one of these purposes. A use is more likely to be considered fair use if the original work is changed in some way, or used for a purpose their than its original purpose, such as changing a song to create a satirical parody or the use of a song as accompaniment to an interpretive dance performance. Copying of a relatively small portion of the original work is also more likely to be considered a fair use than uses that reproduce more of the work. Uses for which no fee or charge is collected are also more likely to be considered fair use than those for which there is a fee or charge, such as a cost of admission to a play or concert. Whether a particular use is considered fair use depends on the specifics of each situation, especially:  
 

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is for commercial purposes or nonprofit educational purposes; 
2. The nature of the copyrighted work; 
3. The amount and substantiality of the part that's used compared to the copyrighted work as a whole; and 
4. How the use might affect the market for, or value of, the copyrighted work. 

While RISE Charter School encourages its staff to enrich the learning programs by making proper use of supplementary materials, it is the responsibility of School staff to abide by RISE Charter School’s copying procedures and obey the requirements of the law. Under no circumstances shall it be necessary for Charter School staff to violate copyright requirements in order to perform their duties properly. The School cannot be responsible for any violations of the copyright law by its staff. 
 

Any staff member who is uncertain as to whether reproducing or using copyrighted material complies with RISE Charter School procedures or is permissible under the law should contact the Executive Director. The Executive Director will assist staff in obtaining proper authorization to copy or use protected materials when such authorization is required. The Executive Director or designee is responsible for maintaining copies of permission granted for the use of copyrighted material. 
 

Teachers will instruct students to respect copyright laws and to request permission when their use of material has the potential to be considered an infringement. 
 

No information or graphics may be posted on any school system official website in violation of any copyright laws. The Executive Director or web maintenance designee is responsible for maintaining copies of permission granted for the use of copyrighted material on any school system official website. 

Cross References 

Policy History: 

Adopted on: June 14, 2021 

Revised on: June 29, 2026 

Reviewed on: