Insuring Computers, Data and Media

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Virtually all schools rely upon their computer and data management systems to conduct business efficiently and effectively. Technology is a substantial investment, and you must be adequately insured against loss of hardware and essential data. Most property policies for schools provide limited coverage for computer equipment and exclude losses specific to data, media, and losses caused by computer viruses or hacking.

Electronic Data Processing (EDP) insurance is designed to cover the unique risks associated with computer operations. EDP policies typically include three coverage components:

  1. EDP Equipment- The servers, computer terminals, monitors, laptops, etc.
  2. EDP Media- The disk drives, disks, magnetic tapes, etc., on which data is stored.
  3. EDP Data- The information stored on the media, such as facts, concepts, programs, and additional expenses associated with data recovery.

The Equipment and Media sections are within the property coverages. Given the volatility of technology equipment values, the most critical concerns are determining adequate limits and understanding the policy’s terms. Equipment and Media coverage can be written on either a replacement cost or actual cash value basis.

Since data is often difficult to replace or retrieve, it is often the most important coverage component of the EDP policy. It is also the most challenging one to insured effectively. Data coverage is not standardized in the insurance marketplace; carriers may define data differently and offer different coverage forms. A close examination of your policy’s terms is necessary to determine the adequacy of your data coverage. Some important considerations are:

  1. Does your policy provide coverage for losses caused by viruses and hacking?
  2. Does it include coverage for a denial of access?
  3. Does it provide business interruption and extra expense coverage?
  4. Does your policy cover the expense of hiring a forensic expert if you are hacked?

Charter School Playground Supervision – How Much is Enough?

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There has been much discussion in schools and in courts regarding how many adult supervisors should be on school playgrounds.

Supervisor-to-student ratios consider only the number of students present, which can be misleading because several factors determine adequate playground supervision.

To evaluate adequate supervision on a playground, use an interdisciplinary group. The group may include a playground supervisor, the building administrator, a parent, a teacher, and the safety officer. To determine adequate supervision, conduct an evaluation using the following factors:

  • The number of students (this may be different at different times)
  • The ages of the students (younger children need closer supervision)
  • The mental and physical capabilities of the students, including discipline issues
  • The configuration of the play area, including visibility and size
  • The play equipment used and activities available.
  • The emergency procedures used on the playground
  • The weather conditions

For example, six severely physically disabled students may require three supervisors, while sixty students playing kickball in a field area may only need two supervisors. Establish the minimum number of playground supervisors needed for a facility (or a supervisor-to-student ratio), considering the factors previously noted.

In most cases, because of the size and configuration of many playgrounds and the school’s emergency procedures, at least two adult supervisors should be on duty whenever the playground is used during the school day. However, two supervisors may not be adequate.