Noble Schools takes the privacy of student data seriously. Accordingly, Noble Schools has policies in place to safeguard the data we collect and maintain on behalf of those students. Noble Schools encourages students, parents and employees to review our policies on data privacy and security.

Information Noble Collects | In the ordinary course of providing an individualized learning experience to our students, Noble creates, collects, and maintains certain student data elements, including those in permanent records and temporary records. Please see Noble’s Student and Family Handbook for specific definitions of Permanent and Temporary Student Records.

Information Noble Shares | Noble only shares student data in limited circumstances: when there is a signed release from the parent, legal guardian, or eligible student; in response to a valid court order; or under a recognized Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) exception. FERPA exceptions include directory information (as defined in Noble’s Student and Parent Handbook), sharing with school officials who have a legitimate educational interest, for certain studies conducted on behalf of the school, providing information in connection with financial aid, or when necessary to address a health and safety emergency. Each disclosure is carefully evaluated to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Retention of Student Information | Permanent student records are retained for 60 years after a student’s graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal. Temporary education records are retained for 5 years after graduation, transfer, or permanent withdrawal.

Data Protection | Noble Schools has implemented reasonable physical, technical, and administrative procedures to safeguard and secure the information it collects online against unauthorized disclosure, loss, or misuse.

Student Data Resources

Noble maintains practices and procedures to ensure that our educational data is always protected. These practices and procedures follow the applicable federal and state privacy laws.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act | The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Noble must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows Noble to disclose those records, without consent, to certain parties or under certain conditions.

Parents and students should review Noble Schools’ Noble Annual FERPA Notice.

For additional information, please see the Department of Education’s FERPA Guidance.

Illinois School Student Records Act | The Illinois School Student Records Act (ISSRA) is a state law similar to FERPA. It affords parents certain rights concerning their children’s school student records and the individually identifiable information in those records. Like FERPA, the two primary purposes of ISSRA are to ensure parent access to their child’s records and to maintain the confidentiality of student records and the information in those records. ISSRA, like FERPA, also provides parents with the ability to correct information in educational records. ISSRA governs information contained in Student Permanent Records and Student Temporary Records.

Under ISSRA, no school student records or information contained therein may be released, transferred, disclosed, or otherwise disseminated without a signed release from the parent, legal guardian, or eligible student or without a valid court order.

Student Online Personal Protection Act | The Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) governs and protects the privacy and security of student data when it is shared with and collected by educational technology (EdTech) companies. SOPPA regulates companies that provide web-based sites, services, online and mobile applications that are used primarily for K-12 purposes.

SOPPA also places responsibilities on school districts like Noble, such as requiring data-sharing agreements with many of these companies. SOPPA also gives parents/guardians certain rights as it pertains to their children’s data.

For additional information, please visit Noble’s SOPPA page.