FERPA & Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 9/14/2025
Organization: LHS Project Graduation – ("we," "us," or "our")
We care about your privacy—especially because our volunteer work centers on students and families. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. If you have questions, contact us at ltpsprojectgraduation@gmail.com.
What We Collect
Information you provide
Contact & account info: name, email, phone number, student name/grad year, school affiliation.
Donations & ticketing: billing details processed by our payment partner (see “Third-Party Services” below).
Volunteer interest: availability, skills/interests, background check consent where applicable.
Media & consents: photo/video permissions, event waivers, dietary/medical notes you choose to provide.
Information collected automatically
Usage data: pages viewed, links clicked, referring URLs, approximate location (city/region), device/browser.
Cookies & similar tech: to keep you signed in, remember preferences, and understand site traffic.
We do not knowingly collect sensitive student education records via this website. If the event is school-administered, note that some data may be governed by FERPA—those records are handled by the school, not this site.
How We Use Information
We use information to:
Run Project Graduation: manage registrations, communicate event details, coordinate volunteers, and allocate resources.
Fundraise responsibly: process donations, send receipts, and acknowledge supporters (only with your consent for public recognition).
Safety & logistics: manage attendance lists, emergency contacts, accessibility/dietary needs, and venue requirements.
Improve the site: analyze what’s working so we can make the experience better.
Legal & compliance: meet audit, tax, and reporting obligations; prevent misuse or fraud; comply with applicable privacy laws including FERPA, where student information is shared with or by schools.
How We Share Information
We may share information with:
Service providers/vendors: payment processing, email/SMS communications, forms, event tools, web hosting, analytics.
School/district partners: to coordinate safe events and confirm eligibility/attendance where appropriate. Any information shared with schools is subject to FERPA compliance.
Volunteers/committee leads: limited, need-to-know access for coordination (e.g., shift lists).
Legal & safety: if required by law or to protect participants and the community.
We don’t sell your personal information.
FERPA Compliance
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. We acknowledge that:
Any official student records provided by schools remain under the control of the school/district and are protected by FERPA.
We do not request or store full education records. If student data (e.g., class lists for eligibility) is shared by the district, it is used solely for event coordination and is handled under FERPA guidelines.
Parents/guardians have rights under FERPA to access their student’s records and request corrections. Any such requests should be directed to the school district, not Project Graduation.
Third-Party Services
We rely on trusted providers to operate this site and event. Examples (update as applicable):
Payments: [Stripe/PayPal/Other] – processes your card/bank info; we don’t store full payment details.
Forms/Email: [Google Forms/Mailchimp/etc.]
Analytics: [Google Analytics//etc.] (see “Cookies & Tracking”)
These providers have their own privacy policies. Please review them to understand their practices.
Cookies & Tracking
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
Keep you signed in and remember preferences.
Measure site performance and improve content.
You can control cookies via your browser settings. Some features may not work without them. We do not respond to Do Not Track signals at this time.
Children & Teen Privacy
Project Graduation serves high-school seniors (typically ages 17–18). We do not target children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.
For teens under 18, we encourage parents/guardians to review submissions together (registrations, consents, medical/dietary notes, etc.).
Data Retention
We keep personal information only as long as necessary for:
Running the current year’s event and follow-up (e.g., lost & found, surveys).
Donor records: typically retained for 7 years for audit/tax purposes.
Volunteer/committee info: retained while you remain active or as required for compliance.
When data is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it.
Your Choices & Rights
Update or delete: email ltpsprojectgraduation@gmail.com to access, correct, or request deletion of your data.
Email preferences: use the unsubscribe link or contact us to adjust communications.
Photo acknowledgments: tell us if you prefer not to be listed/recognized publicly.
California (CCPA) notice (if applicable)
If you’re a California resident, you may request: (a) access to personal information, (b) deletion, and (c) details about disclosures. We do not sell personal information. Submit requests to ltpsprojectgraduation@gmail.com.
Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information. No system is 100% secure, but we strive to protect your data and choose reputable vendors with strong security practices.
Links to Other Sites
Our website may link to school sites, sponsors, or other resources. We’re not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their policies before sharing information.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as our program or laws change. We’ll post the new Effective Date above. Material changes will be highlighted on this page.
Contact Us
Questions, requests, or concerns: ltpsprojectgraduation@gmail.com
Thanks for helping us keep graduates safe while making amazing memories—privacy and compliance included.