Student Applications Security & Privacy

The School District of Springfield Township values technology as a resource for supporting and enhancing student learning. This includes the use of web-based software applications and services that are operated by third parties and that also require providing certain personal identifying information (generally the student’s name and email address/username).

The Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) gives parents rights related to their children’s education records and personally identifiable information. Under FERPA, our vendors cannot use the education records we provide in any way that is not authorized by the school district. They cannot sell this data or allow others to access it except as we permit in accordance with federal and state education privacy laws.

Additionally, the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prevents child-directed web-based services and apps from collecting certain personal information from anyone under 13 years of age without parental permission. COPPA allows school districts to consent on behalf of parents in the education context when student information is collected for the school’s exclusive use and educational benefit, and for no other commercial purpose. This page serves as notice to families, for the core third party applications used in the district.