Overview

The Summit Learning Program's website describes its product as a personalized approach to teaching and learning inspired by the vision to equip every student to lead a fulfilled life. The services are designed to facilitate strong relationships between teachers and students through real­time data about progress towards goals, access to ongoing feedback, and access to a wide range of learning resources that enable students to build on what they learn from the teacher by self­ directing some of their learning, too. The terms state the service does not include features that make student personally identifiable. The terms state the service collects different personal information depending on whether the user is a teacher, school administrator, parent, or student and how the user uses the learning services. Summit Learning's terms state they employ administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect student data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and use or acquisition by an unauthorized person, including when transmitting and storing personal information. Lastly, the terms state that prior to a student accessing the service, the child’s teacher or school administrator must create the student’s account on the service.

Summit Learning can be accessed through its website. Policies used for this evaluation include: Privacy Policy, Security White Paper, User Agreement, Partner Terms of Service, the Data Privacy Addendum, and Program Agreement. This evaluation only considers policies that have been made publicly available prior to an individual using the application or service.

Safety

The terms state the service does not include features that make student personally identifiable information publicly available. However, a student may choose to share coursework through certain non-Summit Learning features. The service also limits access to each student’s account to the student’s parents, legal guardians, teachers, school administrators, and other teachers in the student’s school (depending on the setting selected by the school’s administrator). Accordingly, the terms state the service does not permit any student’s account or the content and grades to be viewed or accessed by the general public. Summit Learning's policy notes that it contains third-party links to educational content available online which may allow students to view, and be exposed to, inappropriate content outside of the service.

Privacy

The terms state the service collects different personal information depending on whether the user is a teacher, school administrator, parent, or student and how the user uses the learning service. The terms state the service limits and uses the personal information they collect only for the educational purposes as directed by Partner Schools. The terms state the service does not seek to make money from students or their schools, teachers, or parents. In addition, the terms specify they will not sell or rent (or authorize Service Providers to sell or rent) any personal information they collect from students to any third party for any purpose – including prohibiting the creation of a profile of a student for any commercial purpose. Lastly, Summit learning's terms state they do not use personally-identifiable information to serve behaviorally targeted advertising to students or their families. They do not sell or share personal information.

Security

Summit Learning's terms state they employ administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect student data from unauthorized access, disclosure, and use or acquisition by an unauthorized person, including when transmitting and storing personal information. The terms state Summit Learning implements effective identification and authentication methods using multi-factor authentication with strong password complexity and a mobile security application based on two­-factor authentication. The terms also require service providers to implement reasonable security practices in accordance with the Data Privacy Addendum. The terms specify the service uses strong encryption technologies to securely transmit and store all sensitive data. These procedures include data ­in ­transit is secured with encrypted transportation protocols and when at rest sensitive data is encrypted. Lastly, the terms state that in the event that Summit Learning becomes aware of any actual or reasonably suspected unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, student data they will provide notice.

Compliance

Summit Learning's terms state they collect information from students only where a Partner School has entered into a signed Program Agreement with Summit Learning and accepted a Data Privacy Addendum. Licensed Users of the learning Services are also governed by the Summit Learning Platform User Agreement. The terms state that prior to a student accessing the service, the child’s teacher or school administrator must create the student’s account on the service. When the school administrator or teacher registers its students for accounts, Summit Learning relies on consent obtained from Partner Schools acting as an agent of the student’s parent or legal guardian. In addition, the terms state that parents, legal guardians, and students may at any time make a request to access, review, correct, or delete their personal information by contacting the appropriate official at the student’s school or school district. If the school determines that the request should be implemented, the school may either make the change themselves or submit the request to Summit Learning.

Furthermore, the terms state that Summit Learning depends on Partner Schools to ensure they are complying with FERPA provisions regarding the disclosure of any student information that is shared with Summit Learning and to any school officials with a legitimate educational interest. In addition, the terms note that the service complies with COPPA provisions for children's privacy by applying the same policy provisions to adults and children's privacy.

Overall Score

Every privacy rating includes an overall score. A higher score (up to 100%) means the product provides more transparent privacy policies with better practices to protect user data. The score is best used is as an indicator of how much additional work a person will need to do to make an informed decision about a product.

Basic ScoreFull Score
Comprehensive Assessment9378

Concerns

The privacy evaluation process summarizes the policies of an application or service into concern categories based on a subset of evaluation questions that can be used to quickly identify particular practices of a vendor’s policies. These concerns are composed of evaluation questions that can be used to calculate scores relative to that concern.

ConcernBasic ScoreFull Score
Data Collection: Protecting personal information8370
Data Sharing: Protecting data from third parties10090
Data Security: Protecting against unauthorized access10090
Data Rights: Controlling rights to data8895
Data Sold: Preventing sale of data7580
Data Safety: Promoting responsible use10070
Ads & Tracking: Prohibiting the exploitation of users' decision making process9385
Parental Consent: Protecting children’s personal information10085
School Purpose: Following student data privacy laws10081
Individual Control: Controlling data useNA80

Statutes

Each statute or regulation is associated with one or more evaluation questions. As such, we can calculate scores for each statute or regulation using only those questions associated with the statute or regulation. Each specific statute or regulation's score serves as an indirect proxy indicating the likelihood of the application or service satisfying all of its compliance obligations.

StatuteBasic ScoreFull Score
California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)9379
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)9386
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)9486
Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA)9287
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)9784

Privacy Policy Details

1: Transparency

1.1: Policy Version
  • Privacy policies do indicate a version or effective date.
  • Privacy policies indicate a change log or past policy version is available.
1.2: Policy Notice
  • Users are notified if there are any material changes to the policies.
  • Privacy policies indicate the method used to notify a user when policies are updated.
1.3: Policy Changes
  • Users are notified prior to any material changes to the policies.
  • Changes to the policies are effective immediately and continued use of the product indicates consent.
1.4: Policy Coverage
  • Privacy policies indicate the products that are covered by the policies.
1.5: Privacy Contact
  • Users can contact the company about any privacy policy questions, complaints, or material changes to the policies.
1.6: Policy Principles
  • Privacy policies do indicate privacy principles, layered notices, or a table of contents.
1.7: Policy Language
  • Privacy policies are not available in multiple languages.
1.8: Intended Use
  • Intended for children under 13.
  • Intended for teens.
  • Intended for adults over 18.
  • Intended for parents or guardians.
  • Intended for students.
  • Intended for teachers.

2: Focused Collection

2.1: Data Collection
  • Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected.
  • The categories of collected personally identifiable information are indicated.
  • Geolocation data are not collected.
  • Biometric or health data are not collected.
  • Interactions, behaviors, or usage analytics data are collected.
  • Sensitive data are collected.
  • Data is automatically collected.
2.2: Data Source
  • Personal information or education records are collected from preK-12 students.
  • Personal information from children under 13 years of age is collected.
2.3: Data Excluded
  • Specific types of personal information are excluded from collection.
  • Specific types of collected information are excluded from the privacy policy.
2.4: Data Limitation
  • Collection or use of data is limited to product requirements.

3: Data Sharing

3.1: Data Shared With Third Parties
  • Collected information is shared with third parties.
  • The categories of information shared with third parties are indicated.
3.2: Data Use by Third Parties
  • The purpose for sharing a user's personal information with third parties is indicated.
  • Data are shared for analytics.
  • Data are shared for research and/or product improvement.
  • Personal information is not shared for third-party marketing.
3.3: Data Not Shared With Third Parties
  • Specific categories of information are not shared with third parties.
3.4: Data Sold to Third Parties
  • Personal information is not sold or rented to third parties.
3.5: Third-Party Data Acquisition
  • Personal information about users is obtained from third parties.
3.6: Third-Party Links
  • Links to third-party external websites are not age-appropriate.
3.7: Third-Party Data Access
  • Third parties are not authorized to access a user's information.
3.8: Third-Party Data Collection
  • Unclear whether personal information of users is collected by a third party.
3.9: Third-Party Data Misuse
  • Unclear whether personal information can be deleted from a third party.
3.10: Third-Party Service Providers
  • Third-party services are used to support the product.
  • The roles of third-party service providers are indicated.
3.11: Third-Party Affiliates
  • The categories of third parties that receive data are indicated.
3.12: Third-Party Policies
  • Links to privacy policies of third-party companies are available.
3.13: Third-Party Data Combination
  • Company may combine data with additional data from third-party sources.
  • Unclear whether data shared with third parties can be combined with other data.
3.14: Third-Party Authentication
  • Third-party login is not supported.
  • Unclear whether personal information from third-party login providers is collected.
  • Unclear whether personal Information is shared with third-party login providers.
3.15: De-identified or Anonymized Data
  • User information that is shared is shared in an anonymous or de-identified format.
  • The company describes their de-identification process of user information.
3.16: Third-Party Contractual Obligations
  • Contractual limits are placed on third-party data use.
  • Contractual limits prohibit third parties from reidentifying or de-identified information.

4: Respect for Context

4.1: Data Use
  • Use of information is limited to the purpose for which it was collected.
  • The context or purpose for which data are collected is indicated.
4.2: Data Combination
  • Combined information is treated as personally identifiable information (PII).
4.3: Data Notice
  • Notice is provided if the context in which data are collected changes.
4.4: Data Changes
  • Unclear whether consent is obtained if the practices in which data are collected change.
4.5: Policy Enforcement
  • Accounts may be terminated if users engage in any prohibited activities.

5: Individual Control

5.1: User Content
  • Users can create or upload content.
5.2: User Consent
  • Opt-in consent is requested from users at the time personal information is collected.
5.3: Remedy Process
  • A grievance or remedy mechanism is not available for users to file a complaint.
5.4: Data Settings
  • Users can control the use of their information through privacy settings.
5.5: Data Disclosure
  • Unclear whether users can opt out from the disclosure or sale of their data to a third party.
  • Users can request to know what personal information has been shared with third parties.
  • Notice is provided in the event the company receives a government or legal request for a user's information.
5.6: Intellectual Property
  • Users retain ownership of their data.
  • A copyright license is claimed to data or content collected from a user.
  • Any copyright license to a user's data is limited in scope or duration.

6: Access and Accuracy

6.1: Data Access
  • Processes to access or review user data are available.
  • Methods are available to restrict who has access to data.
  • Processes to review student data are available for the school, parents, or students.
6.2: Data Integrity
  • The company attempts to maintain the accuracy of data they collect.
6.3: Data Correction
  • Processes to modify data are available for authorized users.
  • Processes for the school, parents, or students to modify inaccurate student information are available.
  • Unclear whether the time period for the company to modify inaccurate data is indicated.
6.4: Data Retention
  • A data-retention policy is available.
  • Exceptions to the data retention policy exist.
6.5: Data Deletion
  • Data are deleted when no longer necessary.
  • A user's data are deleted upon account cancellation or termination.
  • Processes to delete user data are available.
  • Processes for authorized users to delete data are available.
  • The time period for the company to delete data is indicated.
6.6: Data Portability
  • Processes to download user data are available.
  • Unclear whether a user can assign an authorized account manager or legacy contact.

7: Data Transfer

7.1: Data Handling
  • User information can be transferred to a third party in the event of a merge, acquisition, or bankruptcy.
  • Notice is provided to users if the company assigns its rights or delegates its duties to another company.
  • Users are notified if their information is transferred to a third party.
7.2: Transfer Request
  • User information can be deleted prior to its transfer to a third party.
7.3: Onward Contractual Obligations
  • Third-party transfer is contractually required to use the same privacy practices.

8: Security

8.1: User Identity
  • Unclear whether a user's identity is verified with additional personal information.
8.2: User Account
  • Account creation is required.
  • Managed accounts are available.
  • Multi-factor account protection is available.
8.3: Third-Party Security
  • Third-parties with access to information are required to provide the same security protections as the company.
8.4: Data Confidentiality
  • Reasonable security practices are used to protect data.
  • Employee or physical access to user information is limited.
8.5: Data Transmission
  • All data in transit are encrypted.
8.6: Data Storage
  • All data are stored in an encrypted format.
  • The company is clear what jurisdiction a user's personal information is subject to.
8.7: Data Breach
  • Notice is provided in the event of a data breach.
8.8: Data Oversight
  • Data-privacy and/or security-compliance audits are performed.

9: Responsible Use

9.1: Social Interactions
  • Users can interact with trusted users.
  • Users cannot interact with untrusted users, including strangers and/or adults.
  • Profile information must be shared for social interactions.
9.2: Data Visibility
  • Personal information can be not displayed publicly.
  • Users can control how their data are displayed to others.
9.3: Monitor and Review
  • User-created content is not reviewed, screened, or monitored by the company.
  • User-created content is filtered for personal information before being made publicly visible.
  • Unclear whether social interactions between users are moderated.
  • Unclear whether social interactions of users are logged.
9.4: Report Content
  • Users can filter or block inappropriate content.
  • Users can report abuse or cyberbullying.
9.5: Internet Safety
  • Unclear whether the company provides links to resources that support safe and appropriate social interactions.

10: Advertising

10.1: Vendor Communications
  • A user can receive service- or administrative-related communications from the company.
10.2: Traditional Advertising
  • Traditional or contextual advertisements are not displayed.
10.3: Behavioral Advertising
  • Personalised advertising is not displayed.
10.4: Ad Tracking
  • Data are not collected by third-parties for their own purposes.
  • Users's information is not used to track and target advertisements on other third-party websites or services.
  • Data profiles are not created and used for personalised advertisements.
10.5: Filtered Advertising
  • Unclear whether ads displayed to children are filtered for inappropriate content.
10.6: Marketing Communications
  • The company can send marketing messages.
  • The company does not provide promotional sweepstakes, contests, or surveys.
10.7: Unsubscribe
  • Unclear whether this product provides users the ability to opt-out of contextual, or personalised advertising.
  • Users can opt out or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
10.8: Do Not Track
  • Company does not respond to "Do Not Track" or other opt-out mechanisms.
  • Unclear whether the company provides a method for users to opt-out from third-party tracking.

11: Compliance

11.1: Children Under 13
  • Company does have actual knowledge that personal information from users under 13 years of age is collected.
  • The company does provide a section, heading, or separate policy for children in their policies.
  • Account creation is restricted or prohibited for users under 13 years of age.
11.2: Students in K–12
  • Product is primarily used by, designed for, and marketed toward students in grades preK–12.
  • Processes to enter education records into the product are described.
  • Additional rights or protections may be provided with an additional school contract.
  • Company is not designated as a school official.
11.3: Parental Consent
  • Parental consent is required before personal information is collected or disclosed.
  • Unclear whether this product limits parental consent with respect to third parties.
  • Parents can withdraw consent for the further collection of their child's information.
  • Children's personal information is deleted if collected without parental consent.
  • Parental consent notice and method for submission are provided.
  • Parental consent obligations are transferred to the school or district.
11.4: Legal Requirements
  • The legal jurisdiction that applies to the laws governing the policies is indicated.
  • A user is required to waive the right to a jury trial, or settle any disputes by arbitration.
  • A user is required to waive the right to join a class action lawsuit.
  • A company will disclose personal information to law enforcement.
11.5: Certification
  • The company has signed a privacy pledge or received a privacy certification.
11.6: International Laws
  • Unclear whether a user's data are subject to International data transfer or jurisdiction laws.
  • Unclear whether the company has indicated it is a Data Controller or Data Processor.