After logging in to the Lightspeed Parent Portal, toggle on the Pause web browsing option and choose an amount of time to pause web browsing, either For 1 hour, For 3 hours, or Until tomorrow morning (defined at 6 a.m.). There may be a delay when updating a setting.

Please note, the option to pause internet access is restricted if student is logged on their device on the HCPSS network (at school or other HCPSS location).

The Lightspeed weekly emails and Lightspeed Parent Portal only show a student's internet usage when using an HCPSS Chromebook, and will not show internet activity on other devices, including mobile phones and personal laptops used at school.  

The links displayed within the Lightspeed weekly email report and the Lightspeed Parent Portal are the exact links that your child accessed. This may include links to content within Google Drive, Canvas, or other services in which students must authenticate to access the content. Those URLs require student login credentials so parents/guardians are not able to gain access to them.

The Lightspeed weekly emails are sent on Sundays, and provide parents/guardians with a summarized report of their student’s HCPSS Chromebook internet usage for the previous week. 

The Lightspeed Parent Portal can be accessed by going to https://howard-county.portal.relay.school/. 

Signing up to receive the parent/guardian email notification is done online via HCPSS Connect Synergy.Your parent/guardian username is the email address on file with the school system. If you do not remember your password:

1. Go to www.hcpss.org/connect and select the blue HCPSS Connect Login button.
2. At the login page, select the Forgot Password link under the login option
3. Select Forgot Password under the Parents & Guardians heading.

To receive email notifications:

The Superintendent’s FY 2025 Proposed Operating Budget proposes increasing the class-size by two across all levels. The proposed changes for the 2024-2025 school year would increase the upper range for class sizes at the elementary level and increase the student to staff ratio for middle and high school. The table below shows the current (2023-24) and proposed (2024-25) class-size ratios and upper ranges.

Throughout the budget book and during work sessions, there have been references to school-based and non-school-based employees. The following definitions will help stakeholders understand the difference.

School-based refers to employees who work in schools each school day and directly contribute to school instruction and operations.

While Central Office can refer specifically to the Board of Education building as a location, it also refers to non-school based employees and services that support students, staff and the operation of schools. HCPSS has several buildings and offices in Howard County for employees and services that are considered part of Central Office. Examples of central office buildings that are home to several HCPSS offices include the Logistics Center, Staff Development Center, the Old Cedar Lane school and the Old Bushy Park school, among others.