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Privacy Policy

Hillsboro Community School District No. 3

Website Privacy Policy

Effective date: November 30, 2025

1. Purpose and scope

Hillsboro Community School District No. 3 (“the District,” “we,” “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of information collected about students, parents/guardians, staff, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy describes what information we collect through our district website and related online services, how we use and share that information, the rights of parents/guardians and eligible students, and how to contact the District with questions or requests. This policy applies to all District-operated websites, web pages, web forms, and online tools the District controls, and covers student information collected by third-party educational technology operators when used for K–12 purposes.

2. District contact information

Hillsboro Community School District No. 3
1311 Vandalia Road, Hillsboro, IL 62049
Phone: (217) 532-2942
For questions about this policy, to exercise privacy rights, or to request copies or corrections of records, please contact:
Superintendent’s Office at 217-532-2942 or Webmaster Laura Rench at 217-532-2841, lrench@hillsboroschools.net

3. Information we collect

A. Information you provide directly

  • Personal information submitted by parents/guardians, staff, or students via enrollment forms, contact forms, online registrations, volunteer sign-ups, or email: e.g., name, address, phone number, email, date of birth, emergency contact, and guardian relationship.

  • Education records provided to the District (grades, schedules, attendance, special education records, discipline records) collected and maintained in school information systems.

B. Information collected automatically

  • Technical data the site automatically collects such as IP address, browser type, device identifiers, pages visited, referring URLs, and standard analytic data that helps us operate the website and improve services.

C. Student data collected by educational technology operators

  • The District may use third-party educational technology operators (operators) to support instruction, assessment, and school administration. Data categories collected through these operators may include student identifiers, course and grade information, assessment results, demographics, and usage data.

4. How we use information

We use collected information for legitimate educational, administrative, and operational purposes, including but not limited to:

  • Providing instruction and school services;

  • Maintaining student records and school administration;

  • Communicating with families and staff about school programs, events, emergencies, and services;

  • Operating, improving, and securing the District website and associated systems;

  • Compliance with state and federal legal obligations.

We do not use student personal information for targeted advertising or sell student data.

5. Third-party operators, Data Privacy Agreements, and a publicly-posted operator list

Under Illinois law (SOPPA), the District requires that any third-party operator that receives student data enter into a written contract (data privacy agreement) that limits use of the data, prohibits sale or targeted advertising, and requires appropriate security and breach notice procedures. The District maintains a current list of educational technology operators and their publicly-available terms on the District’s Student Data Privacy page (or a linked page on this site). Families may review the list and the operator agreements as posted by the District. If you cannot find the list on the website, contact SOPPA contact at our schools:  Laura Rench at lrench@hillsboroschools.net, 217-532-2841.

6. When information is shared and with whom

We may share information in the following limited situations:

  • With District staff and contractors when necessary for educational or operational purposes;

  • With third-party operators under data privacy agreements restricting use of student data to educational purposes only;

  • When required by law, such as pursuant to a court order, subpoena, or other legal process;

  • To protect health and safety in emergencies;

  • With parental consent where required by law.

We will not sell student personal information or use it for targeted advertising.

7. Parent/Guardian and Student Rights

Parents/guardians and eligible students (those 18 or older or who attend postsecondary institutions) have the rights described by federal FERPA and Illinois law, including:

  • The right to review and request correction of education records maintained by the District;

  • The right to be informed which operators have access to their student’s covered information and to review the District’s list of operators and the vendor agreements;

  • The right to file a complaint with the District if they believe District or operator practices are inconsistent with this policy or applicable law.

FERPA provides specific rights to inspect, review, and request amendment of education records; the District will provide annual notice of FERPA rights to parents and eligible students.

8. Data security and retention

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access or disclosure. Those measures include access controls, staff training, and contractual security requirements for operators. We do not describe specific security configurations or vulnerabilities on the public website. The District retains records in accordance with Illinois record retention schedules and District policies; retention periods will vary by record type (e.g., permanent student records, temporary administrative records). Contact the District Office for retention specifics.

9. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and standard web analytics tools to understand usage and improve the site. These technologies collect non-identifying usage data (pages visited, time on site, referring pages). Most browsers allow you to disable cookies, but disabling cookies may limit usability of some site features.

10. Data breach notification procedures (SOPPA requirements)

In the event of a breach of student covered information, the District will follow SOPPA and related guidance: the District will notify parents/guardians of impacted students via district communications within 30 calendar days after the District becomes aware of a breach, and when a third-party operator is responsible, the District will post notice and follow the statutory timelines for notification. The breach notice will include the nature of the breach, information about the data involved, the District’s response, and recommended steps for parents/guardians.

11. Links to other sites

The District website may contain links to third-party sites. This Privacy Policy applies only to District-operated sites. Third-party sites are governed by their own privacy policies; we encourage you to review them before providing personal information.

12. How to exercise rights, request records, or file a complaint

To review or request correction of education records, to obtain the list of authorized educational technology operators and their DPAs, to report a suspected misuse of data, or to file a complaint under this policy:

  • Contact: District Office, Hillsboro Community School District No. 3, 1311 Vandalia Road, Hillsboro, IL 62049, Phone: 217-532-2942.

  • Direct all SOPPA or student privacy questions to the District contact person:  Laura Rench, lrench@hillsboroschools.net or the Superintendent’s office, Hope McBrain, hmcbrain@hillsboroschools.net 217-532-2942.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

The District may update this policy as necessary. Material changes will be posted to this page with an updated effective date. For the most current policy version, visit this page or contact the District Office.

14. Legal disclaimers

This policy describes current District practices and does not create contractual rights or obligations beyond those required by law. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to limit the District’s ability to comply with legal obligations (e.g., law enforcement requests, court orders).