Showing Copyrighted Movies in Class

From time to time the question arises of what materials (e.g. DVD Movies) can be legally used in a classroom during school/instruction hours. The information below should help you to determine the answer to this. If you would like more information on this subject, you should reach out to your school Library Technology Educator (LTE).

Clips Under 15 Min

These should be fine to show during class as long as they are appropriate and relevant to the lesson.

Videos or Full Length Movies Over 15 Min

You cannot show movies unless you have performance rights (a license that is purchased by your school site) and instructional approval (through LTE and Principal of school). Movies cannot be used during instruction time for entertainment, incentives, or rewards. Also streaming services including, but not limited to, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ etc. are not to be used in schools because the user License Agreements do not grant rights for institutional or educational use and there is no exemption under Fair Use.

Only exception to this is videos/movies embedded within already approved software or streaming services used by teachers. These do not need to go through the above process. This includes videos embedded in Learn360, which is the district's new streaming platform, videos within Discovery Education, etc.

Helpful Links

If you have more questions about this topic please first address them with your school LTE. If you need further expertise on this topic feel free to reach out to the Instructional Technology and Library Services (ITLS) department.

Please Note:
The information provided in this knowledge base article is a living document and is subject to change. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the content per the last edited date, but due to the evolving nature of the subject matter, updates and revisions may occur at any time. Please continue to check back to the knowledge base for the most updated information or call the Support Center at the number above.