Student Online Personal Protection Act
School districts throughout the State of Illinois contract with different educational technology vendors for beneficial K-12 purposes such as providing personalized learning and innovative educational technologies, and increasing efficiency in school operations.
Under Illinois’ Student Online Personal Protection Act, or SOPPA (105 ILCS 85/), educational technology vendors and other entities that operate Internet websites, online services, online applications, or mobile applications that are designed, marketed, and primarily used for K-12 school purposes are referred to in SOPPA as operators. SOPPA is intended to ensure that student data collected by operators is protected, and it requires those vendors, as well as school districts and the Ill. State Board of Education, to take a number of actions to protect online student data.
Depending upon the particular educational technology being used, our District may need to collect different types of student data, which is then shared with educational technology vendors through their online sites, services, and/or applications. Under SOPPA, educational technology vendors are prohibited from selling or renting a student’s information or from engaging in targeted advertising using a student’s information. Such vendors may only disclose student data for K-12 school purposes and other limited purposes permitted under the law.
In general terms, the types of student data that may be collected and shared include personally identifiable information (PII) about students or information that can be linked to PII about students, such as:
Basic identifying information, including student or parent/guardian name and student or parent/guardian contact information, username/password, student ID number
Demographic information
Enrollment information
Assessment data, grades, and transcripts
Attendance and class schedule
Academic/extracurricular activities
Special indicators (e.g., disability information, English language learner, free/reduced meals or homeless/foster care status)
Conduct/behavioral data
Health information
Food purchases
Transportation information
In-application performance data
Student-generated work
line communications
Application metadata and application use statistics
Permanent and temporary school student record information
Operators may collect and use student data only for K-12 purposes, which are purposes that aid in the administration of school activities, such as:
Instruction in the classroom or at home (including remote learning)
Administrative activities
Collaboration between students, school personnel, and/or parents/guardians
Other activities that are for the use and benefit of the school district
To access a list of the software used by Saratoga Click Here.
Use of Educational Technologies; Student Data Privacy and Security
Educational technologies used in the District shall further the objectives of the District’s educational program, as set forth in Board policy 6:10, Educational Philosophy and Objectives, align with the curriculum criteria in policy 6:40, Curriculum Development, and/or support efficient District operations. The Superintendent shall ensure that the use of educational technologies in the District meets the above criteria.
The District and/or vendors under its control may need to collect and maintain data that personally identifies students in order to use certain educational technologies for the benefit of student learning or District operations.
Federal and State law govern the protection of student data, including school student records and/or covered information. The sale, rental, lease, or trading of any school student records or covered information by the District is prohibited. Protecting such information is important for legal compliance, District operations, and maintaining the trust of District stakeholders, including parents, students and staff.
Definitions
Covered information means personally identifiable information (PII) or information linked to PII in any media or format that is not publicly available and is any of the following: (1) created by or provided to an operator by a student or the student’s parent/guardian in the course of the student’s or parent/guardian’s use of the operator’s site, service or application; (2) created by or provided to an operator by an employee or agent of the District; or (3) gathered by an operator through the operation of its site, service, or application.