Parents (includes legal guardians or persons in parental relationships) and Eligible Students (student 18 years and older) can expect the following:
1. A student’s personally identifiable information (PII) cannot be sold or released for any commercial purpose. PII, as defined by Education Law § 2-d and FERPA, includes direct identifiers such as a student’s name or identification number, parent’s name, or address; and indirect identifiers such as a student’s date of birth, which when linked to or combined with other information can be used to distinguish or trace a student’s identity. Please see FERPA’s regulations at 34 CFR 99.3 for a more complete definition.
2. The right to inspect and review the complete contents of the student’s education record stored or maintained by the District. This right may not apply to parents of an Eligible Student.
3. State and federal laws such as Education Law § 2-d; the Commissioner of Education’s Regulations, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA"); Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA"); Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment ("PPRA"); and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”); protect the confidentiality of a student’s identifiable information.
4. Safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices including but not limited to encryption, firewalls and password protection must be in place when student PII is stored or transferred.
5. A complete list of all student data elements collected by NYSED is available at http://www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security/student-data-inventory and by writing to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.
6. The right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of PII addressed. Complaints should be directed in writing to John Farrell, Data Protection Offficer. Spackenkill Union Free School District, 15 Croft Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 or by email to [email protected], or by telephone at 845-463-7800. Complaints can also be directed to the New York State Education Department online at https://www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security, by mail to the Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234, or by email to [email protected], or by telephone at 518-474-0937. To be notified in accordance with applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of PII occurs.
7. District staff that handle PII will receive training on applicable state and federal laws, policies, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices that protect PII.
8. District contracts with vendors that receive PII will address statutory and regulatory data privacy and security requirements.