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Privacy Policy

Notice to Users of DOE Web Sites and Applications

This notice informs you, as a user of our systems and applications, about how the NYC Department of Education (the "Department", "we", "us") collects, uses, and protects information about you through your use of this website. We also describe other policies that directly affect you, as users of these services. Please read this notice carefully before using our websites or applications. We may change this notice from time to time and reserve the right to do so without advance notice. By accessing and using our websites and applications, you consent to these uses and any other uses.

Collection of Information 

To improve the content and usability of Department websites and applications, we may automatically collect certain information from you, including: 

  • The Internet Protocol ("IP") address of your Internet Service Provider ("ISP") and/or computer. 
  • The Domain Name of your ISP and/or computer. 
  • The type and version of your operating system and browser (such as Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, etc.). 
  • The date, time, and duration of your visit. 
  • Your clicks within the application. 
  • The web address of the previous site visited by your browser (if detectable). We also may request and collect information from you when you interact with our websites and applications, such as information you provide when creating an account, submitting an electronic form, participating in a survey, etc.

Use of Information and Privacy 

We do not collect personally identifiable information for commercial or marketing purposes, and we do not sell the personally identifiable information we collect. The personally identifiable information we collect is stored in a secure environment. 

We use and may share the information we collect to make sure our systems are up-to-date and compatible with other systems, and to improve services offered through Department applications and websites. We may also use it to fulfill our duties and for other educational purposes, including, but not limited to:

  • Developing new application functionality; 
  • Providing notifications, alerts, or event updates; 
  • Responding to requests made under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), through subpoenas, court orders and other administrative, judicial and legal processes (however, we may withhold certain information if the law permits us to do so);
  • Providing technical notices, updates, security alerts, and administrative messages; 
  • Responding to user comments, questions, and requests for customer service; 
  • Monitoring and analyzing trends, usage and activities in connection with services; 
  • Personalizing and improving services; 
  • Complying with any allowable educational purpose, applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request; and 
  • Conducting statistical analyses for any of the above reasons. Certain laws and regulations govern our ability to share or otherwise disclose information about you that we collect. For example, as described in more detail above, disclosure and release of PII of our current and former students is governed by Chancellor's Regulation A-820 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Other laws and regulations may apply, depending on the types of information involved.

We may monitor and review all content and traffic on Department-provided networks and applications. This includes traffic on or from devices that are owned by the Department, as well as devices not owned by the Department if DOE resources are being accessed or have been accessed from such devices.

Data Security 

The Department takes reasonable measures to help protect its websites and applications and the information within them from loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. 

If you receive or create a password when registering for any of our applications, you should not divulge this password to anyone. We will never ask for your password in a telephone call, fax, e-mail, or other form of unsolicited communication. When you are finished with an application, you should sign out of the application. If the browser you used to access the application is publicly accessible (such as on a computer at a public library or internet cafe), you should close the browser session and, if possible, clear any browser history, cookies, or other areas where your password might have been stored. Otherwise, you risk having information about you becoming available to third parties.

Cookies 

Cookies are computer files that enable an application or website to distinguish between users. We use "temporary cookies" on some parts of our sites and applications, which expire when you close the browser session. We may also use "persistent cookies" to understand how people access and use our sites and applications.

You can customize most browsers to reject cookies, to accept or reject cookies after a visual warning, or to delete cookies. However, some application and website features may require cookies to function properly.

Web Bugs 

We do not use web bugs (also known as "web beacons") on our web pages or in email for any purposes other than: 

  • To identify site performance needs; 
  • To ensure compatibility with the technology used by site visitors; and 
  • To add and improve services offered by our applications.

Intellectual Property 

The content of our applications and webpages is copyrighted and may contain some third-party images or graphics that are used with permission. This section serves as notice to all users of this website to presume the need to obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) before reproducing or otherwise using images/graphics from this and other DOE websites.

Email and Text Message Communications 

If you wish to unsubscribe from our email campaigns, please click on the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any marketing email sent from us. If you opt out of our email marketing, we will still send you messages related to your participation in one of our programs, and relationship with you, such as your enrollment in an alternative teacher certification program. 

If you wish to stop receiving text messages from us, reply STOP, QUIT, CANCEL, OPTOUT, or UNSUBSCRIBE to any text message sent from us. For more information, see our Mobile Messaging Terms and Conditions available here. 

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at support@teachnyc.zendesk.com.