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Using student data for district, school, and classroom improvement planning can be very helpful when it is used correctly and with the necessary security and privacy practices in place. Although data can be used to facilitate change and improvement, there is a need to balance the usefulness of this data with the privacy of the students who the data is about. Use the following links to become more familiar with Student Data Privacy.

"Personal information" is information about an individual that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes personal identifiers such as an individual's name, address, phone number, and social security number. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information.

We collect no personal information about you unless you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for information (e.g., sending an e-mail or participating in a survey). If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the ISBE web site. If personal information is requested on the web site or volunteered by the user, state law and the federal Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) may protect it. However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law. [e.g., Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) (18 U.S.C. 2510-2520, 2701-2709); Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.); Data Processing Confidentiality Act (30 ILCS 585/0.01 et seq.).]​

If, during your visit to the ISBE Web site, you just browse or download information, the following information about your visit will be automatically collected and stored in the Web server's log:

1. Your Internet Protocol address (not the e-mail address).
2. The type of web browser used to access this site (Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.). (Web pages do not always display the same on every type or version of web browser and thus must be coded for appropriate access.)

Our Web site logs do not contain personally identifiable information, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals who browse this Web site. ​

If you visit our Web site and participate in a survey, fill out a Web-based form, or send an e-mail, the following additional information will be collected:

1. Internet Correspondence: If an individual sends ISBE an e-mail message or fills out a Web-based form with a question or comment that contains personal identifying information, that information will only be used to respond to the request and to analyze trends. The message may be redirected to another government agency or person who is better able to answer the question. We may retain that email address and other information as appropriate for official business purposes.
2. Surveys: Any information you volunteered in response to a survey. Survey information is used for the purpose designated. ​

The information that we gather both automatically and with your permission during your visit to our Web site is used in the following ways:

• Monitor, review, measure, and analyze Web site utilization
• Modify and enhance the Web site
• Improve the content and design of our Web site
• Determine the need for new programs and services
• Respond to your requests
• Monitor the changing information needs of site visitors
• Monitor and improve our customer service efforts
• Study general usage habits and demographic information for our own research purposes
• Unique IP addresses are counted to determine the number of visitors to each web page during specific time frames. Analysis of the number of visitors helps to determine how, where or if the page will be delivered in the future.
• Distribute news and other information requested by Web visitors ​

Upon request, we provide site visitors with access to the following:

• A description of information (e.g., name, address, phone number) that we maintain about them
• Communications that the visitor has directed to our site

Individuals can access, review, and request correction to this information, as necessary, by contacting us at the address at the end of this Privacy Policy. ​

The ISBE Web site does requires registration to access certain forms requiring digital signature via the ISBE Web Application System (IWAS). At registration, you are asked to provide name, login name, password, and an email address. Once registered, you may enter the password protected website by keying in your login name and password. If the login name and password match, you are granted access to forms requiring digital signature. ​

Links to Other Sites

The ISBE web site often provides a number of links that offer direct access to other useful or interesting educational web sites holding potential value to site visitors. Inclusion of the other sites by links does not constitute or imply any endorsement or recommendation by ISBE of the material or information on the other sites nor should a link be in any way interpreted to imply that the site referenced has any relationship with ISBE.

We encourage users to review the privacy policy of each linked site, as we are not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites. Users assume sole responsibility for use of third-party links and any disclaimers set forth herein are applicable to such third-party sites.  We will make efforts to notify you when you are leaving our web site and you may be subjected to different privacy policies than those we have established for our web site.

Inbound Links

ISBE does not generally object to links to ISBE.net from third party sites. As a rule, we prefer that third party sites link to the home/first page of ISBE.net.

Outbound Links; Submitting Links

ISBE will consider links that are related to the Agency's work. Links submitted for consideration to be included on the ISBE web site must be consistent with the site’s purpose of providing information on:

Federal and state legal services relating to education; becoming a teacher or administrator and maintaining certification; funding for Illinois schools and educators; Illinois education statistics and reports; employment and education opportunities for Illinois educators, administrators, students and employees; state and federal education resources for parents and students, and educational material and curriculum resources that support the Illinois Learning Standards.

Links may be submitted for consideration by completing the contact form.

ISBE recognizes that many people are concerned about the privacy and protection of information as it is transmitted over the Internet. You should keep in mind that the possibility exists for unauthorized individuals to intercept any e-mail message you send over the Internet. In some cases, information can be encrypted (scrambled or encoded) to make it very difficult to read if it is intercepted during communication. Certain technology and practices allow Web sites to provide an increased level of security for your personal and health-related information when appropriate. We use the following practices on our Web site to enhance the level of security for communication and the transmission of personal information:

• We use industry-standard encryption technologies when transferring and receiving consumer data exchanged with our site.
• We have taken reasonable steps to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of personally identifiable information that you may provide.
• When we transfer and receive certain types of sensitive information, we redirect visitors to a secure server.
• We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you at our site
• We use e-mail forms to allow our customers to ask questions about our services and programs. However, these are not hosted on a secure server. The possibility exists that unauthorized individuals may intercept e-mail messages.
• We are not responsible for the privacy of e-mail messages except those stored in our system. ​

ISBE reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify this policy at any time without notice. ISBE will regularly review and revise this Privacy Policy. If our information practices change we will post the policy changes to the Web site. Changes shall be effective immediately. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check this Privacy Policy periodically. ​

This web site is controlled, operated and maintained by the Illinois State Board of Education, 100 North First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62777. This web site and all of its related pages, content, format, and imagery are protected by United States copyright laws (17 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) This web site is for the User’s noncommercial use. If you download any material, you must keep all copyright, trademark, and other notices intact. All material and information offered on this web site is the sole and exclusive property of either ISBE or other parties and ISBE and such parties each have the right to enforce their rights hereunder and on their own behalf. The User agrees that unless specific permission is granted in writing, the User will not modify, copy, distribute, broadcast, transmit, retransmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, sell, or resell any information, content, products or services obtained from this web site or in any way violate the copyright of any provider of information, content, products or services to this web site. ISBE will not be a party to disputes over alleged copyright infringement. If you believe that your copyrights have been infringed, or if a notice of copyright infringement has been filed against you, we advise that you seek legal counsel.

ISBE provides links to other web sites only as a convenience for persons who visit our web site. Our agency does not guarantee the accuracy or propriety of any information, offered services or products contained in any web site linked directly or indirectly to ours. All materials, information, products and services on the ISBE web site and third party sites are provided “AS IS” without warranty of any kind. ISBE makes no representations and, to the fullest extent allowed by law, disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose regarding the suitability of the information; the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of the content, services, products, text, graphics, links or other items contained within this site, or the results obtained from accessing and using the ISBE web site and/or the content contained therein. ISBE does not represent that the use of any information contained on this web site would not infringe privately owned rights or that the functions contained in the materials will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site, including the server that makes it available, are free of viruses or other harmful components. Therefore, reasonable efforts should be made to verify information and check out services or product offerings contained in any web site. The User assumes the entire cost of all necessary maintenance, repair or correction. You are also cautioned to be aware of, and learn about, the possibility of contracting computer viruses from downloading information from this web site. Also, for your own protection, familiarize yourself with how to protect against Internet fraud. Our agency joins other agencies in warning Internet users not to divulge information about yourself or your organization which could invite invasion of privacy, misappropriation of credit card numbers, misuse of monetary accounts or other computer related theft or fraudulent dealings. Internet users should know the people and organizations with whom they deal before giving out personal or account information and before purchasing services or products.

Under no circumstances, including but not limited to negligence, shall ISBE be liable or responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use of or the inability to use, the ISBE web site. You specifically acknowledge and agree that ISBE is not liable for any conduct of any User. As a condition of the use of this web site, the User agrees to indemnify and hold harmless ISBE, its affiliates, employees, directors, officers, agents, material or communication providers, and Internet Services Providers, from any and all liabilities, losses, expenses (including attorney’s fees), and damages arising out of claims resulting from the User's use of this web site, including without limitation any claims alleging facts that if true would constitute a breach by User of these terms and conditions. If you are dissatisfied with any ISBE web site material, or with these terms and conditions of use, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the ISBE web site.

A "persistent" cookie is generally defined as a piece of data that is stored on the user's hard drive over more than one browser session. We do not use "persistent" cookies on our web site.  "Session" or "temporary" cookies are also not used on ISBE web site pages.  However, you may be subject to third party cookies, or cookies from other domains, to the extent you visit any linked sites included on the ISBE web site.