Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to our educational platform. We are committed to protecting your privacy and the privacy of students using our services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information in compliance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act), and other applicable privacy laws.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Student Information

• Personal Information: Name, email address, school name, grade level
• Academic Information: Project submissions, milestone progress, achievement data
• Communication Data: Messages with mentors, group chat messages, feedback
• Usage Data: Login times, features accessed, time spent on platform

2.2 Mentor and Administrator Information

• Name, email address, role within organization
• Communication records and feedback provided
• Platform usage and activity logs

3. How We Use Your Information

• Educational Services: Track student progress, provide feedback, assign milestones
• Communication: Send notifications, weekly check-ins, achievement updates
• Platform Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features and user experience
• Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Compliance: Meet legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell student information to third parties. We only share information in the following limited circumstances:

• Within Your Organization: Assigned mentors and administrators can view student progress
• Service Providers: Cloud hosting, email delivery, analytics (all bound by data protection agreements)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to protect rights and safety
• With Consent: When explicit permission is provided by parent/guardian or eligible student

5. FERPA Compliance (Educational Records)

For students in educational institutions, we comply with FERPA requirements:

• Educational records are kept confidential and only shared as permitted by FERPA
• Parents/guardians have the right to inspect and review student records
• Parents/guardians have the right to request amendments to inaccurate records
• We obtain consent before sharing directory information
• Records are retained for 7 years as required by educational record-keeping standards

6. COPPA Compliance (Children Under 13)

If your child is under 13 years old:

• Parental Consent Required: We require verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information
• Limited Data Collection: We only collect information necessary for educational purposes
• No Marketing: We do not use student information for targeted advertising
• Parental Rights: Parents can review, delete, or refuse further collection of their child’s information
• Contact Us: Parents can contact us at any time regarding their child’s information

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
• Row-level security policies to restrict data access
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Employee training on data privacy and security
• Multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts
• Rate limiting to prevent unauthorized access attempts

8. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Export: Download your data in a portable format
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications
• Restriction: Request limitation of processing in certain circumstances

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

9. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Educational records are typically retained for 7 years after a student completes or leaves a program. After the retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymized.

10. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your login session
• Remember your preferences
• Analyze platform usage (with your consent)
• Improve platform performance

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. See our Cookie Policy for more details.

11. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by email or through a prominent notice on our platform. The “Last Updated” date at the top indicates when changes were last made.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

For parent/guardian inquiries regarding children under 13, please include “COPPA Request” in your subject line.

14. International Users

If you are accessing our platform from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.

Note to Educational Institutions: If you are using this platform through a school or educational organization, additional privacy terms may apply through your institution’s agreement with us.