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[SchoolSoft]

I am public school teacher (USA).  For the last few years, I have been writing my own software to manage my classroom more effectively.  Recently, one of the principals, after seeing the tracking software I wrote for my own classroom, asked me if I could write some software that would help track minor discipline issues.  The software is now being used throughout the school  I wrote the software in visual basic, and purchased my own copy of the software.

Now am thinking of going the next step and writing more extensive software that would generate and report all types of discipline issues (minor and major). I would like to to market and license the software.

Considerations.
1) I am hired as a computer TEACHER, not as a technology resource person.  No time has been allotted to me to help the school or district with technology.  I am not required to have any knowledge of how to write code in order to fulfill my job responsibilities.
(I would think this means that software writing would not fall under the scope of my employment, correct?).

2) Writing of the original program was done partly during my duty (it was not free time though, I was required to supervise the students, and was allowed to work on the software while I supervised the students... most the software development was done on my own time. I was using the school’s computers and network as well as my own during its development.

3) If I write the new extensive software partly while at school on my non-duty, non-instructional time, using my own equipment, would the school have any rights to ownership? (I would be using their electricity.) 
Do they have any rights to ownership if I write the code completely outside of the school building?

Would they have any rights to ownership if I write the software while at school on my non-duty, non-instructional time, using my own equipment? (I would be using their electricity.) 

[JimIvey]

With respect to patents, it's entirely up to your employment contract.  Your contract should specify whether any inventions made by you during employment belong to your employer and under what circumstances (relation to your work, use of company resources, on your own time, etc.).

With respect to copyrights, they can belong to your employer solely as a result of your employment, but there are some conditions that might prevent that being the case in your situation.  You'd do well to ask in the Copyrights forum about who'd own the copyright in your software.

Regards.