Denver Public Schools Implements Lightspeed Software for Student Safety
Denver, CO — Denver Public Schools (DPS) has embraced a proactive stance in student safety by employing monitoring software known as Lightspeed, which tracks online activities of its 90,000 students to prevent serious issues such as self-harm, violence, and bullying. District representatives assure that students are informed about the surveillance measures in place.
Kip Sixberry, manager of Emergency Management at DPS, explained that Lightspeed scans communications—like messages, emails, and journals—for certain concerning phrases and words. "Not only self-harm but maybe thinking about harming others," he noted. The software serves to identify potential threats and triggers timely interventions. When an alarming term is detected, the message is reviewed by a human evaluator who assesses the context. Most incidents are found to be benign; however, serious cases may prompt immediate action.
In instances where a student is at school and an issue is flagged, staff may discreetly reach out to check on their well-being. If higher concern arises, such as a student expressing intentions to harm themselves or others during late-night communications, school officers engage directly by visiting the student’s home.
This school year alone, DPS has recorded 535 interventions due to Lightspeed alerts, bringing the total to over 1,000 since the software’s implementation two years ago. Although there are false alarms, Sixberry emphasizes their commitment to erring on the side of caution, stating, “We would rather take a precautionary step than let a real threat slip through.”
The initiative highlights DPS’s dedication to fostering a safe educational environment for all students.