Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 3/21/2024
Last Updated: 7/26/2024

Excel Education Systems and component schools care about your privacy and want you to feel comfortable and secure in your use of our website (Sites) and any dealings you have with us offline. This Privacy Policy aims to describe the types of information we collect from users and how we store and use that information. By viewing and using the Sites, you are, to the extent permitted by applicable law, accepting this Privacy Policy with respect to information collected by the Sites.

Please Note: This Privacy Policy may be modified at any time, so please visit this page periodically to check for updates. The current version of this Privacy Policy can always be found under the Privacy Policy button on the Sites. Changes to the Privacy Policy can be found by confirming the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. At a minimum, this policy is reviewed annually.

The key items the privacy policy addresses include:

• Categories of Personal Information We Collect
• Personal Information in Publicly Accessible Areas
• How We Collect Personal Information Directly From You
• How We Collect and Use Information About Your Use of the Sites
• How We Collect and Use Personal Financial Information
• How We Use Personal Information and Educational Records
• When We Disclose Personal Information to Partners in Education
• When We Disclose Personal Information to Employers or Sponsors
• When We Disclose Personal Information to Contractors and Service Providers
• When We Disclose Personal Information to Licensing, Certifying and Accrediting Organizations
• Disclosures of Personal Information in Litigation, Investigations or Enforcement Actions or for Security Reasons
• Disclosures in Conjunction with a Change in Control or Similar Event.
• Your Access Rights
• Children’s Privacy
• Information Security and Storage
• Rights to Opt-Out of Online Communications
• SMS Messaging Policy

1. Categories of Personal Information We Collect. Depending on the Sites you use and your interactions with us, we collect the following categories of Personal Information about you:

• Identifiers, such as name and contact details (e.g., phone number, email address, postal address);
• Demographics, such as age, date of birth, race/ethnicity, and gender;
• Education Information such as course assignment work, exams, academic records, confidential enrollment information, prior education, and learners’ personal, program-related communications with Excel Education Systems and component schools;
• Internet or other electronic network activity information, such as browser versions, internet domain, your computer’s operating system pages most visited, duration and time of visit, the links you followed to enter and leave our site, your IP address, as well as standard fields from our web log reporting software;
• Geolocation information.

Information from Third Parties: We may collect Personal Information about you from third parties and our affiliate companies, to perform certain functions such as collections activities or to customize our marketing efforts.

The information we collect depends upon how you interact with us. Note that we may be required by law to collect certain information about you or, as a consequence of any contractual relationship we have with you. Failure to provide this information may prevent or delay the fulfillment of these obligations

2. Personal Information in Publicly Accessible Areas. Some interactive portions of our Sites are open and visible to the larger public and/or people and entities engaged in providing or supporting Excel Education Systems and component school programs. If you include personally identifying information in materials you contribute to the Sites, via postings, chat rooms, or otherwise, that Personal Information will be available to members of the larger public. We therefore strongly encourage you not to include personally identifying information in your interactions in public forums made available through the Sites, such as in postings in chat rooms or in your Username.

3. How We Collect Personal Information Directly From You. We collect Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us. For example, when you register as a User on the Sites in order to participate in the Sites activities, we ask you for Personal Information such as your name, email address, and telephone number. We collect and store your educational records in a way that is consistent with our business practices, certifying and licensing institutions, and applicable United States and state laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

4. How We Collect and Use Information About Your Use of the Sites. We and our third-party business partners use standard tracking tools such as cookies, clear GIFs (also referred to as web beacons or pixel tags), device identifiers, or IP addresses to collect information about your use of the Sites. These tools, described in more detail below, are associated with standard internet protocols and are commonly implemented on websites. The information collected through these tools is primarily used for aggregate, statistical reporting and stored in log files. Log files are simply transaction records that web servers maintain and record information, such as service provider IP addresses, browser versions, referring websites, search terms used, average number of pages requested, average duration of visit, and/or total visitor traffic.

• Cookies are small files that are placed on your hard drive and allow sites to identify you. For example, if you allow a site to remember your login name or password, the site places a cookie on your computer. Cookies cannot read any other information on your hard drive. If you do not wish to receive cookies or want to be notified of when they are placed, your browser may permit you to do so.
• GIFs can tell us whether you have visited a web page or received or opened a message we send you.
• An IP address is a number that's automatically assigned to your computer by your Internet service provider whenever you're on the Internet. In addition to logging your IP Address, our server may also record the referring page that linked you to us (e.g., another website or a search engine); the pages you visit and how long you stay on the Sites; and other Web usage activity and data. In some cases, your IP address stays the same from browser session to browser session, but if you use a consumer internet access provider, your IP address probably varies from session to session.

The information we collect about your use of the Sites may be used to measure the Sites’ traffic, help us to evaluate and improve the Sites, provide data points for marketing and business analysis, and better serve our Users. It is in our legitimate interests to evaluate and improve the Sites so that we may better serve our Users. Our third-party business partners, such as analytics and advertising partners, may also use these technologies to collect information about your online activities over time and across different services.

5. How We Collect and Use Personal Financial Information. We collect Personal Financial Information you provide only when you are applying for or enrolling in Excel Education Systems and component schools' academic programs, purchasing products or services from Excel Education Systems and component schools, or involved in other financial transactions with Excel Education Systems and component schools, and use this information only in connection with your application, enrollment, purchases, and other financial transactions. We collect this information so we can comply with our contractual obligations to you or interact with you in furtherance of initiating a contractual arrangement (e.g. if you are enrolling) and so that we can comply with our legal obligations. Personal Financial Information is retained by Excel Education Systems and component schools as required by law and its internal business practices. If you are not currently enrolled in a component school program and have no outstanding, pending, or contractual financial obligation to Excel Education Systems and component schools, you may ask that we delete your financial information, and we will do so subject to legal, regulatory, and licensing obligations.

6. How We Use Personal Information and Educational Records. We use your Personal Information for our business purposes in multiple ways:

• Deliver products and perform services you purchase. This is so we can comply with our contractual obligations to you or engage in pre-contractual measures (e.g. if you enroll in one of our programs).
• Respond to your requests for information. It is in our legitimate interests to respond to your requests for information.
• To contact you regarding products and services we believe you may be interested in. It is in our legitimate interest to provide relevant and interesting advertising messages. Where necessary, we will obtain your consent before sending such marketing messages.
• Notify you about community events and activities. It is in our legitimate interests to notify you about events and activities that may be of interest to you.
• Ask questions about your interests and your experience on the Sites. It is in our legitimate interests to learn more about your experience with the Sites.
• To perform proactive outreach to encourage and engage you in your studies.

By supplying your contact information when requesting information or enrolling in one of our courses or programs, you authorize Excel Education Systems and component schools to contact you (using the information you provide to us) about Excel Education Systems and component schools. You can opt out of future communications from Excel Education Systems and component school by sending an email to privacy@exceled.com or by calling us at 1-800-620-3844.

Additionally, if you are an Excel Education Systems component school student, we may also use your Personal Information, including Educational Records to:

• Support and monitor your progress through the program in which you are enrolled. We do this so we can comply with our contractual obligations to you.
  Offer you various learner support services.
• Ask questions regarding your satisfaction with the program.
• Maintain your academic records.
• Complying with our obligations. We process your Personal Information to, for example, carry out fraud prevention checks or comply with other legal, accreditation, or regulatory requirements, where required by law or where in our legitimate interests to do so.
• Maintain close communications with you in order to provide you with a rich, fulfilling, and personalized academic experience.
• We do not use or disclose sensitive Personal Information for purposes other than permitted under applicable local and federal laws.

We may aggregate and/or re-identify your Personal Information and use it for any purpose, including product and service development and improvement activities. To the extent we re-identify any data initially based on Personal Information, we will maintain and use such data only in a re-identified form. We will not attempt to re-identify the data.

7. When We Disclose Personal Information to Partners in Education. Excel Education Systems and component schools often collaborate with school districts, individual schools, colleges and universities, vocational schools, organizations like Public Libraries, and other private educational or education-related programs (each an “Educational Partner”) to provide a broad range of academic programs responsive to different types of learners’ requirements. We may disclose Personal Information, including identifying information, Student Records, and Personal Financial Information of learners enrolled in these collaborative or partnership education programs to the associated Educational Partner. Within the preceding 12 months, this may include identifiers, educational records, and certain demographic information.

8. When We Disclose Personal Information to Employers or Sponsors. We may share program progress, completion status, and scores with employers or potential employers with whom a learner has applied or expressed interest; sponsor paying all or part of the learner fees; third-party resolution agencies; third-party organizations through whom a learner has signed up with Excel Education Systems component schools.
We may share financial status (fee balance) with a sponsor who is paying all or part of learner fees.

9. When We Disclose Personal Information to Contractors and Service Providers. We may use vendors (including contractors, business partners, investors, and their representatives, and service providers) to help us with certain aspects of our operations, and this may require disclosure of your Personal Information to them. Within the preceding 12 months, this may include identifiers, demographics, education information, internet activity, geolocation information, inferences, and sensitive Personal Information as that term is defined under applicable law. For example, we use third-party financial institutions to help us process payments, and we may use third-party agencies to help us with debt collection. We may also use vendors to help us to operate the Sites, deliver products, and provide learner services. Such vendors may collect and analyze your communications with us on a real-time basis.

10. When We Disclose Personal Information to Licensing, Certifying and Accrediting Organizations. Excel Education Systems and component schools are accredited and are also licensed by certain states. From time to time, Excel Education Systems and component schools will seek additional certifications, accreditations, and similar confirmations of quality and eligibility from third-party institutions as part of the school’s mission. Excel Education Systems and component schools may disclose Personal Information to each of these accrediting, certifying, and licensing bodies as reasonably required to maintain, renew, or establish Excel Education Systems and component school’s accreditation, licenses, certifications, and other institutional qualifications. Within the preceding 12 months, this may include identifiers, demographics, and education information. All such bodies are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of student Personal Information.

11. Disclosures of Personal Information in Litigation, Investigations, or Enforcement Actions or for Security Reasons. We may disclose your Personal Information when compelled or requested to do so by government or law enforcement authorities or when otherwise required or permitted by law, such as to respond to court orders and subpoenas or regulatory agency requests. We also may disclose Personal Information when we have reason to believe that someone is causing or threatening to cause injury to, or interfering or threatening to interfere with, the rights or property interests of Excel Education Systems and component schools or its affiliates (or their respective employees, agents, consultants, contractors or representatives), Excel Education Systems and component schools learners or alumni, other Sites Users, Excel Education Systems and component schools business partners (including Education Partners and service providers), accrediting/licensing/certifying bodies, or other persons or entities that such activities could harm.

12. Disclosures in Conjunction with a Change in Control or Similar Event. If Excel Education Systems and component schools undergo or contemplate undergoing a business transition, such as a merger or acquisition by another company or a sale of all or a substantial portion of its assets, your Personal Information may be among the assets transferred or subject to new ownership. Changes in the terms governing the collection, storage, or use of any third party successor in interest or transferee of your Personal Information will be communicated to you by Excel Education Systems and component schools or such third party via email, the applicable website, or a comparable means notification.

13. Your Access Rights. You may review and correct the Personally-Identifying Information that is retained by Excel Education Systems and component schools in your account after you login. You may review and correct the Personal Financial Information that is retained by Excel Education Systems and component schools in your account by logging into your account and accessing your financial information. If you are a learner, you may also review your Student Records through your Student Portal account or by contacting Excel Education Systems and component schools at registrar@excelhighschool.com, registrar@northgateacademy.com, or registrar@washingtontech.edu.

14. Children’s Privacy. The Sites do not knowingly collect information from (a) children under the age of 13 and does not offer products, services, or activities targeted at children under the age of 13, or (b) individuals older than 13 but under the age of legal majority in their state of residence whose registration or participation on the Sitess has not been authorized by their parent or legal guardian. If you have reason to believe that a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us, and we will attempt to remove that information from our databases.

15. Special Rule for Sites Users under 18. If you are under the age of 18, you may at any time request Excel Education Systems and component schools to remove from the Sites any Content (as defined in the Sites Terms of Use) you provide to or post on the Sites by sending your request to privacy@excelhighschool.com, privacy@northgateacademy.com, or privacy@washingtontech.edu. However, please understand that Excel Education Systems and component school’s removal of such Content may not be complete or comprehensive. Removal of Content may be limited to making Content no longer visible to the public or other Sites Users. In addition, Excel Education Systems and component schools reserve the right not to remove Content you have provided if Excel Education Systems and component schools are required to maintain the Content pursuant to federal or state legal requirements if the Content has been independently provided to the Sites by a third party, if the Content is anonymized, or if you have been compensated for providing the Content to the Sites. Any Personal Information and Student Records retained by Excel Education Systems and component schools will continue to be governed by the terms of this Privacy Policy.

16. Third Party "Linked-To" Websites. The Sites may contain links to third-party websites which are neither operated nor controlled by Excel Education Systems and component schools. This Privacy Policy does not address the information practices of those third-party websites, and we encourage you to read the legal notices posted on such websites, including their Terms of Use and Privacy Policies. To be clear, Excel Education Systems and component schools have no responsibility or liability for your experience with, and the data collection and use practices of, such third-party websites. All inquiries concerning the terms and policies of third-party websites should be addressed to the third party hosting the respective website.

17. Information Security and Storage. The protection of your Personal Information is very important to us. To that end, we take reasonable steps to protect the Personal Information you share with us from unauthorized access or disclosure. However, you should know that no security measures are impenetrable and no company, including Excel Education Systems and component schools, can fully eliminate security risks to its telecommunications and computer systems. In addition, due to the inherent nature of the Internet as an open global communications vehicle, we cannot guarantee that information, during transmission through the Internet, will not be destroyed, hacked, hijacked, misdirected, stolen, modified, or otherwise interfered with or misused. Accordingly, your transmission of information to or through the Sites is at your own risk.

18. Retention Period. We retain your Personally Identifying Information, Personal Financial Information, and Educational Records for as long as we have a relationship with you. When deciding how long to keep this information after our relationship with you has ended, we take into account our legal obligations. We also retain records to investigate or defend against potential legal claims. If there is any information that we are unable to delete entirely from our systems for technical reasons, we will put in place appropriate measures to prevent any further processing or use of the data.

19. Rights to “Opt Out” of Online Communications. If you are receiving emails, texts or similar online communications from Excel Education Systems and component schools, it is because you consented, or we understood from your participation on Excel Sites that you were interested in receiving ongoing information from us. If at any point you no longer wish to receive such communications, you may at any time “unsubscribe” from these communications by following the ‘opt out’ directions to be found at or near the end of the communication. students can also “opt out” from certain communications on the Student Portal by editing their personal account preferences. If you have any questions about the opt-out process, you can contact us at privacy@excelhighschool.com, privacy@northgateacademy.com, or privacy@washingtontech.edu. Please note that if we have already shared your personal contact information with one of our business partners, unsubscribing from our communications list will not prevent these third parties from continuing to email or text you. You will have to send an opt-out request to those third parties directly. Opportunities to “opt out” from receiving emails and texts are usually found on these companies’ websites or at the end of their emails or texts.

20. SMS Messaging Policy. This policy specifically excludes SMS opt-in and phone numbers collected specifically for the use of messaging. Excel Education Systems does not share any personal information collected for SMS messaging with any third-party vendors for marketing purposes.

21. Construction of Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy supersedes any other representations, agreements, statements, or understandings with respect to the terms pursuant to which Excel Education Systems and component schools collect, stores, and uses information relating to you that is collected by the Sites. This Privacy Policy may not be modified, extended, limited, waived, or terminated except with the written consent of Excel Education Systems and component schools. If any portion of this Privacy Policy is deemed void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from the Privacy Policy, and the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect. The word “including” shall be construed to mean “including but not limited to.”

22. Modification to Privacy Policy. As noted above, Excel Education Systems and component schools reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time and will notify Users by posting the modified version of its Privacy Policy on this webpage. Under certain circumstances, we may also elect to notify registered Users of changes or updates to this Privacy Policy by additional means, such as posting a notice on the front page of the Sites or by emailing you, but you should not rely on receiving such additional notice. As noted, this policy will be reviewed at least annually.

SECURITY

Excel Education Systems and component schools website(s) have security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. We utilize industry-standard SSL encryption when accepting your credit card information during the online sign-up process.

QUESTIONS or CONCERNS? Excel Education Systems and component schools is the controller responsible for the Personal Information it processes about you and reviews the data, policies, and practices quarterly. If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or its application, or for general questions about the Sites, please contact Excel Education Systems and component schools at privacy@excelhighschool.com, privacy@northgateacademy.com, or privacy@washingtontech.edu.