FERPA Compliance - Classroom Pulse

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records, and these rights transfer to the student when they reach age 18.

For classroom behavior tracking, FERPA ensures that:

Student data remains confidential and secure
Parents have the right to access their child's records
Data is only shared with authorized personnel
Schools maintain control over their students' information

Learn more at ED.gov

Our FERPA Compliance

Educational Purpose

Classroom Pulse serves a legitimate educational interest by helping educators track and improve student behavior, support IEP goals, and generate reports for educational planning.

Data Minimization

We only collect the minimum necessary educational records needed for behavior tracking. No unnecessary personal information is requested or stored.

Access Controls

Role-based permissions system
Teachers control all access to their classroom data
Audit logs track all data access

Parent Rights

We fully support FERPA-mandated parent rights:

Access requests fulfilled within 45 days
Data portability in standard formats
Correction requests processed promptly
Clear processes for exercising rights

Directory Information

We do not collect or store directory information without explicit consent from the school and in accordance with their policies.

Technical Safeguards

256-bit AES Encryption at Rest

All data stored in Firebase/Firestore with enterprise-grade encryption

TLS 1.3 Encryption in Transit

All data transmissions use the latest security protocols

Multi-Factor Authentication

Available for all accounts to prevent unauthorized access

Automatic Session Timeout

30-minute inactivity logout to protect unattended sessions

Daily Automated Backups

Ensure data recovery in case of any incidents

24-Hour Incident Response

Rapid notification and resolution of any security events

Data Handling

What We Collect

Student first name or initials only
Grade level and class information
Behavior tracking data and observations
IEP goals (optional, as needed)

We NEVER collect: SSN, full names, addresses, medical records, or unnecessary personal information

Data Retention

Active data retained while subscription is current
Automatic deletion 90 days after subscription cancellation
Export your data anytime before deletion

Who Can Access

Only authorized school personnel designated by the account owner can access student data. This includes:

The teacher who created the account
Team members explicitly invited by the account owner
School administrators with proper authorization

Third-Party Sharing

Student data is NEVER sold or shared with third parties for marketing or non-educational purposes.

Data is only shared with your explicit consent for services you designate (e.g., district reporting systems).

Subprocessors

We use the following trusted services to deliver Classroom Pulse:

Firebase/Google Cloud - Data storage and authentication
Stripe - Payment processing only (no student data access)
Vercel - Application hosting

Your Rights as an Educator

You maintain complete control over your classroom data:

Export All Data

Download your data anytime in CSV or PDF format

Delete Student Records

Remove individual student data instantly

Transfer Data

Move student records to another teacher seamlessly

Terminate & Delete

Close account and remove all data permanently

Audit Log Access

Review all access to your classroom data

Permission Control

Manage who can view or edit your data

District Administrators

We provide comprehensive documentation and support for district compliance requirements:

Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

Downloadable template available for district requirements

Security Audit Documentation

Available upon request for compliance reviews

Single Sign-On (SSO)

On our roadmap for 2025 implementation

SIS Integration

Coming soon for major student information systems

Annual FERPA Training

All employees receive certified FERPA compliance training

Need district documentation? Contact us at compliance@classroompulse.io

Frequently Asked Questions

Can parents request their child's data?

Yes, parents have the right to access their child's educational records under FERPA. Here's the process:

Parent submits request through their school
School verifies parent identity and authorization
Teacher exports the requested data using our export tools
Data provided to parent within 45 days as required by FERPA

What if there's a data breach?

We have a comprehensive incident response plan:

Immediate containment and investigation
Notification within 24 hours to affected users
Full transparency about what data was affected
Remediation steps and prevention measures
Compliance with all state breach notification laws

Do you comply with state privacy laws?

Yes, we comply with all applicable state education privacy laws, including:

California: SOPIPA and AB 1584 compliance
New York: Education Law 2-d compliance
Connecticut: Student Data Privacy Act compliance
Colorado: Student Data Transparency and Security Act
Other states: We maintain compliance with all state-specific requirements

Is data stored in the United States?

Yes, all student data is stored exclusively in US-based data centers. We use Google Cloud Platform's US regions to ensure data never leaves the United States.

Can students under 13 use Classroom Pulse?

Classroom Pulse is designed for teacher use only. Students do not have direct access to the platform. Teachers control all data entry and management, ensuring COPPA compliance while tracking behavior for students of all ages.

Your Student Data is Protected

Quick Summary for Teachers

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