Student data needs extra care
FERPA and Massachusetts student privacy agreements mean grades, records and family communications need real protection.
IT services for schools and districts in Greater Boston
CMIT Solutions of Boston supports K-12 districts, charter schools and independent schools with managed IT, CIPA-compliant content filtering and security built around FERPA and student privacy.
Planned around the school calendarAssessments during the year, big changes over the summer.
Local office in NewtonServing Boston, Newton, Waltham and nearby towns- 24/7 monitoring and supportNights, weekends and holidays included
- 900+ CMIT IT professionalsA national network behind your local team
What does managed IT for a school include?
Managed IT for a school covers network and Wi-Fi management for every building, CIPA-compliant content filtering on and off campus, provisioning and repair for 1:1 devices, a help desk for staff, cybersecurity, and tested backups of student records. Work is planned around the school calendar, with major upgrades scheduled for summer.
A school's IT has to serve students, staff and the law at once
Classrooms, student records and a short summer window put unusual pressure on school technology.
E-Rate depends on CIPA filtering
Schools that receive E-Rate discounts must filter internet access and have an internet safety policy in place.
1:1 programs multiply the workload
Every Chromebook or iPad is a device to enroll, filter, repair and collect again in June.
Summer is the only real window
Upgrades have to fit a ten-week gap, then hold steady through a full year of classes.
Everything from the classroom to the front office
Built for the school year, from the first day of classes to end-of-year device collection.
Managed IT
Proactive monitoring and patching across every building, classroom and office, at a flat annual cost.
- 24/7 monitoring of servers, network and staff devices
- Vendor management for SIS, LMS and curriculum platforms
- Summer maintenance planned around the calendar
Cybersecurity
Protection against the phishing and ransomware that target district finance and HR staff.
- Managed EDR with 24/7 threat response
- MFA on email, SIS and finance systems
- Phishing training for staff
CIPA filtering and device management
Content filtering and mobile device management that meets E-Rate rules on campus and at home.
- CIPA-compliant filtering that follows the device
- Chromebook and iPad enrollment and MDM policies
- Usage reports for administrators and audits
IT support and help desk
Fast help when a projector or SIS login fails five minutes before class.
- Priority queue for issues affecting a live class
- Support for classroom AV and interactive displays
- Quick onboarding for new staff each fall
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
Set up and secure the education platforms your teachers and students use every day.
- Google Workspace for Education or Microsoft 365 Education
- Student and staff account lifecycle management
- Licensing reviewed against enrollment each year
Data backup and recovery
Student records, grades and staff files backed up, with restores tested before you need them.
- Encrypted, immutable offsite copies
- Backup for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
- Ransomware rollback planning
Wi-Fi and network management
Wireless that covers every classroom and holds up when a whole building tests online at once.
- Site surveys and access point design
- Separate staff, student and guest networks
- Bandwidth planning for MCAS testing days
Responsible AI in schools
Approved AI tools and clear guidelines for staff and students, instead of an unofficial free-for-all.
- AI acceptable-use policy for classrooms and staff
- Student data kept out of unapproved tools
- Guidance sessions for teachers
Security built into every plan
Every managed IT plan includes these protections, so the basics are covered from day one.
EDREndpoint detection and response on every device- Email securityFiltering for phishing, malware and impersonation
- DNS filteringBlocks malicious and unwanted websites
- Access managementControlled accounts, permissions and directories
- Backup validationBackups checked so restores actually work
- Disaster recovery planA written plan to get you running again
EDREndpoint detection and response on every device
Email securityFiltering for phishing, malware and impersonation
DNS filteringBlocks malicious and unwanted websites
Access managementControlled accounts, permissions and directories
Backup validationBackups checked so restores actually work
Disaster recovery planA written plan to get you running again
The rules a school's technology has to satisfy
We map each requirement to a control and keep evidence ready for your board, an auditor or an E-Rate review.
| Standard | What it asks of you | What we put in place |
|---|---|---|
| CIPA | Internet filtering on devices that access the internet, plus an internet safety policy, to keep E-Rate funding. | Filtering on and off campus, reporting and policy support. |
| FERPA | Protecting the privacy of student education records. | Role-based access, encryption and access reviews. |
| MA Student Data Privacy Agreement | Written data-sharing terms with edtech vendors that handle student data. | Vendor inventory and review of which apps touch student data. |
| COPPA | Protecting personal data of children under 13 in online services. | App vetting and account controls for younger students. |
| M.G.L. c. 93H | Breach notification for personal information of staff and families. | Incident response plan and logging. |
Which rules apply depends on your organization. We support your compliance program with technical controls and documentation; we don't provide legal advice.
A practical guide to IT for schools and districts
School technology has to work for teachers, students, families and funders at the same time. Here is how we approach the decisions that come up most often.
Design the network for testing day, not an average day
A network that feels fine on a quiet Tuesday can fail when every student in a building logs in for online testing. Plan wireless capacity per classroom, separate staff, student and guest traffic, and monitor bandwidth so problems appear on a dashboard before they appear in a classroom. Our network management team sizes access points and switching to your enrollment and device count, and schedules upgrades for summer.
Filtering is a policy, not just a product
CIPA requires filtering and an internet safety policy, but the harder work is keeping them aligned as devices go home and new apps arrive. Review filter categories with administrators each year, log exceptions, and make sure take-home devices are filtered the same way as campus devices. We document these settings so E-Rate reviews and board questions have clear answers, backed by our compliance support.
Protect student data at the vendor level
Most student data now lives in edtech platforms rather than on school servers. Keep an inventory of which apps hold student information, confirm data privacy agreements are signed, and remove access when a tool is retired. Pair that with strong cybersecurity for staff accounts, since finance and HR staff are frequent targets of phishing aimed at payroll and vendor payments.
Back up the cloud, too
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are reliable, but they don't protect you from accidental deletion, a compromised account or ransomware that syncs into shared drives. Independent data backup of those platforms, tested monthly, closes that gap. Districts that also run government services or partner with local nonprofits benefit from the same recovery planning.
Questions to ask before choosing an IT provider
Ask how the provider plans work around the school calendar, how they handle a failed device during a lesson, and what reporting they provide for E-Rate and board meetings. Ask whether they back up Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 independently, and how they vet edtech vendors that receive student data. Clear, written answers to those questions tell you more than a feature list. Our IT support desk prioritizes classroom issues, and our IT guidance reviews each semester keep technology plans tied to your budget and enrollment.
We plan the fleet before the first Chromebook cart arrives
Provisioning, filtering and repair for a 1:1 program need to be right before rollout day, not fixed while students are already carrying devices.
- Bulk enrollment and setup before the school year starts
- Filtering applied automatically, on and off the network
- Loaner pool and repair turnaround for damaged devices
- Asset tracking tied to student and homeroom records
- End-of-year collection and re-imaging
A local team on the school calendar with you
Locally owned and operated in Newton, MA
We know your buildings, your SIS and your summer window. When a lesson depends on the network, that is the call we answer first.
You get a named local team that learns your people and systems, backed by more than 900 CMIT IT professionals nationwide. We serve Boston, Newton, Waltham, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Weston, Watertown, Needham, Wellesley and Burlington.
- 275 Grove Street, Ste 2-400, Newton, MA 02466
- (617) 657-1075
From first meeting to fully managed, without a mid-semester disruption
Assessment and planning happen during the year; changes land over breaks.
Assessment
Network, filtering, backup and security review ranked by risk to students and staff.
Remediation plan
A fixed-scope plan sequenced for the next school break.
Summer rollout
Upgrades, migrations and device refreshes while buildings are quiet.
Managed operations
Monitoring, help desk and a planning review each semester.
Do you work with public districts and independent schools?
Yes. We support independent schools, charter schools and public districts across Greater Boston. The plan is sized to your number of buildings, staff and devices, so a single-campus school and a multi-building district each pay for what they actually use.
Can you help with E-Rate and CIPA filtering requirements?
Yes. We deploy content filtering that meets CIPA requirements on campus and on take-home devices, and provide the usage reporting and documentation schools need for E-Rate applications and reviews. We also help keep your internet safety policy current.
How do you protect student data under FERPA?
We set up role-based access, encryption and regular access reviews for systems that hold education records, and help you inventory which vendors receive student data. Those controls are documented so you can answer questions from parents, your board or an auditor.
Can major upgrades happen without disrupting the school year?
Yes, that is how we plan by default. Assessments and planning happen during the year, while migrations, device refreshes and network changes are scheduled for summer or school breaks so classrooms are not disrupted.
Do you support 1:1 Chromebook or iPad programs?
Yes. We handle bulk enrollment, MDM policy setup, filtering, loaner pools and repair turnaround, plus end-of-year collection and re-imaging so devices are ready for the next class. Asset tracking links each device to a student.
How fast is support during the school day?
Issues affecting a class in progress or a school-wide system go to the front of the queue ahead of routine requests. Our local team handles on-site visits, and the wider CMIT network adds capacity for large projects.
How is pricing structured for a school or district?
Managed IT is a flat monthly or annual rate, typically per device or per staff member, agreed in writing after the assessment. That makes the cost easy to budget and avoids surprise charges in the middle of the school year.
What happens during the free IT assessment?
We review your network, devices, backups, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace setup and security controls, then give you a written summary of risks ranked by business impact and a clear list of what to fix first. There is no cost and no obligation, and for schools and school districts we include the compliance requirements that usually apply to you.
Can you work alongside our in-house IT person?
Yes. Many clients keep an internal IT person and use us to extend their team. We can take on monitoring, security, backups, after-hours coverage or specific projects, so your internal staff can focus on the work that needs someone on site every day.
Is support available on nights, weekends and holidays?
Yes. Systems are monitored 24/7, and you can reach our support desk at any time of day, including nights, weekends and holidays. Urgent issues are handled immediately, and our local team comes on site when a problem needs hands-on work.
Which areas of Greater Boston do you serve?
Our office is at 275 Grove Street in Newton. We support organizations in Boston, Newton, Waltham, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Weston, Watertown, Needham, Wellesley and Burlington, plus surrounding communities. Remote support covers every location, and on-site visits are scheduled when hardware or a site survey requires it.
Find out where your network stands before next semester
Book a no-obligation IT and security assessment and get a written summary of risks and what to fix first.
- Review of your network, devices, backups and security
- Risks ranked by their impact on your day-to-day operations
- Compliance requirements that apply to you
- A written plan for what to fix first
Prefer to talk?(617) 657-1075
Visit us275 Grove Street, Ste 2-400, Newton, MA 02466