For Educators by Educators
Empowering K12 – Privacy Policy & Terms of Service
Effective Date: 4/25/2027
Last Updated: 4/25/2027
Empowering K12 Inc. ("Empowering K12," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy
and security of student, educator, and institutional data. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect,
use, protect, and manage information in connection with our platform and services (the "Services").
1. Scope and Role
Empowering K12 provides tools designed for educators and school systems to support documentation,
compliance, and student services.
• Schools and districts ("Educational Institutions") are the data controllers.
• Empowering K12 acts as a data processor or service provider.
• We process data only on behalf of and under the direction of Educational Institutions.
2. Information We Collect
We follow data minimization principles, collecting only the information necessary to deliver the Services.
A. Information Provided by Educational Institutions
• Student information such as IEP, 504, or ELL-related documentation.
• Academic or support-related data entered by educators.
• Accommodation tracking and progress notes.
B. Educator and User Information
• Name, email address, and role.
• Account credentials.
• Usage activity within the platform.
C. Technical Data
• Device and browser type.
• IP address.
• Log data and system activity.
We do not knowingly collect unnecessary personal data and limit collection to educational purposes.
3. How We Use Information
• Deliver and improve the Services.
• Enable educators to track, manage, and document student support.
• Maintain system security and performance.
• Provide customer support.
• Comply with legal obligations.
We do not use student or educator data to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models.
4. Data Ownership and Control
• All student data is owned by the Educational Institution.
• Empowering K12 does not claim ownership of student records.
• Institutions maintain full control over access, use, retention, and deletion.
Upon request or contract termination, data will be returned or securely deleted.
5. Data Security
We implement industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical safeguards consistent with widely accepted security frameworks, including:
• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS).
• Encryption of data at rest where applicable.
• Role-based access controls.
• Authentication and access management.
• Secure cloud infrastructure such as AWS, Azure, or equivalent.
• Continuous monitoring and logging.
• Regular backups and recovery procedures.
Access to student data is limited strictly to authorized users. We maintain commercially reasonable measures to ensure system availability, reliability, and performance.
6. Data Retention and Deletion
We retain data only as long as necessary to provide the Services, fulfill contractual obligations, and
comply with legal requirements.
Upon termination, data is deleted or returned within a reasonable timeframe, typically 30 to 90 days
unless otherwise agreed. Backup data is securely purged per retention schedules.
7. Data Breach Notification
In the event of a confirmed data breach involving personal data:
• We will notify affected Educational Institutions without undue delay, typically within 72 hours.
• We will provide details regarding the nature of the breach, data impacted, and remediation steps
taken.
• We will cooperate fully with institutional and regulatory requirements.
8. Compliance with Laws
Empowering K12 is designed to align with applicable education and privacy laws, including:
United States
• FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
• COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act).
• CCPA/CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Laws).
• SOPPA (Illinois Student Online Personal Protection Act).
• New York Education Law 2-D.
• Other applicable state student data privacy laws.
Canada
• PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act).
We process student data solely for educational purposes as authorized by schools.
9. Children's Privacy
• Our Services are used by Educational Institutions, not directly by children.
• Schools act as the authorized agent for parental consent under FERPA and COPPA where
applicable.
• We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children outside school authorization.
10. International Data Transfers
If data is accessed or stored outside of the originating jurisdiction, we implement safeguards consistent with applicable laws and ensure appropriate protections for cross-border data transfers.
11. Subprocessors
We may use trusted third-party service providers ("Subprocessors") to operate our Services, such as:
• Cloud hosting providers.
• Email delivery services.
• Analytics tools limited to non-student data.
All subprocessors are contractually bound to data protection obligations and prohibited from using data
for their own purposes. A current list of subprocessors is maintained and available upon request or via our website.
12. Data Access and Rights
Educational Institutions control access to student data.
Where applicable under the law, individuals may have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of their data.
Requests should be directed to the Educational Institution, which will coordinate with us as needed.
13. Data Processing Agreement
Empowering K12 offers a Data Processing Agreement that governs data handling responsibilities,
security obligations, breach procedures, and subprocessor requirements. The DPA is available upon
request or as part of contractual agreements.
14. Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by applicable laws of the United States and, where applicable, the State of Texas, unless otherwise required by applicable law or superseded by the terms of a separate written agreement with an Educational Institution.
15. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Material changes will be communicated to customers
and posted on our website.
16. Contact Information
Empowering K12 Inc.
privacy@empoweringk12.com