Data Privacy and Security Information

Our district is committed to ensuring student privacy in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations and district policies. 

Questions about data and security may be directed to the Data Protection Officer (DPO) at sscsd_dpo@saratogaschools.org.

Parents’ Bill of Rights For Student Data Privacy and Security | Data Security and Privacy Policy | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)  | District Software Catalog

Parents’ Bill of Rights For Student Data Privacy and Security

The Saratoga Springs City School District, in recognition of the risk of identity theft and unwarranted invasion of privacy, affirms its commitment to safeguarding student personally identifiable information (PII) in educational records from unauthorized access or disclosure in accordance with State and Federal law. The School District establishes the following parental bill of rights:

• Student PII will be collected and disclosed only as necessary to achieve educational purposes in accordance with State and Federal Law.
• A student’s personally identifiable information cannot be sold or released for any marketing or commercial purposes by the district or any a third-party contractor. The district will not sell student personally identifiable information and will not release it for marketing or commercial purposes, other than directory information released by the district in accordance with district policy;
• Parents have the right to inspect and review the complete contents of their child’s education record;
• State and federal laws, such as NYS Education Law §2-d and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, protect the confidentiality of students’ personally identifiable information. Safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices, including but not limited to, encryption, firewalls, and password protection, must be in place when data is stored or transferred;
• A complete list of all student data elements collected by the State Education Department is available for public review at http://www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security or by writing to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12234.
• Parents have the right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of student data addressed. Complaints should be directed to the District’s Data Protection Officer by email at sscsd_dpo@saratogaschools.org. Complaints can also be directed to the New York State Education Department online at http://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 privacy@mail.nysed.gov or by telephone at 5178-474-0937.
• Parents have the right to be notified in accordance to applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of their student’s PII occurs.
• Parents can expect that educational agency workers who handle PII will receive annual training on applicable federal and state laws, regulations, educational agency’s policies and safeguards which will be in alignment with industry standards and best practices to protect PII
• In the event that the District engages a third-party provider to deliver student educational services, the contractor or subcontractors will be obligated to adhere to State and Federal Laws to safeguard student PII. Parents can request information about third party contractors by contacting the District’s Data Protection Officer.

Data Security and Privacy Policy

The District’s Board Adopted Policy: Information And Data Privacy Security, Breach, And Notification.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA-Student Directory Information  |  FERPA Opt-Out Form

This is to advise you of your rights with respect to student records pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of student records. The law gives parents and students over 18 years of age (referred to in the law as “eligible students”) the following rights:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the district receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the Building Principal a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The Principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the district to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading by writing the Principal, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specifying why it is inaccurate or misleading. Please note that the amendment procedure may not be used to challenge a grade, an opinion, or a substantive decision made by the school district about a student. If the district decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. There is an exception to FERPA’s prohibition against non-consensual disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records, pursuant to which the district may disclose personally identifiable information from education records without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to “school officials” with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. With respect to what constitutes a ‘legitimate education interest’, it is generally accepted that a school official generally has a legitimate education interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.

A student/parent who believes there has been a violation of the provisions of FERPA may file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5920. Complaints must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to believe that a violation of FERPA has occurred. More information

District Software Catalog

Click here to view the District’s Software Catalog.  The district may only utilize vendors who are compliant with all NY Education Law Section 2-d Part 121 security and privacy requirements.