Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 7, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

Terms with capitalized first letters have specific meanings as defined below. These definitions apply consistently throughout this Privacy Policy, whether used in singular or plural form.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Account refers to the user profile created to access the FACCS Portal or its related services.
Affiliate refers to any organization that is legally associated with FACCS, whether through shared ownership, control, or formal partnership.
Application refers to the FACCS Portal, the web-based software platform provided by FACCS for its member schools, homeschool participants, and authorized users.
FACCS (referred to in this policy as “we,” “us,” or “our”) means The Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Inc., headquartered at 8359 Beacon Blvd, Suite 405, Fort Myers, FL 33907.
Country refers to the State of Florida, United States, where FACCS is located and where the Portal is administered.
Device means any internet-connected device—such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone—used to access the FACCS Portal.
Personal Data refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual, either directly or indirectly, including names, email addresses, and certain school or student-related data.
Service refers to the FACCS Portal and any associated features, tools, or offerings made available through the Application.
Service Provider refers to third-party organizations or contractors that assist FACCS in delivering or supporting the Portal, such as hosting providers or verification services.
Usage Data refers to technical data collected automatically when you interact with the Portal, such as browser type, pages visited, time spent, and error logs.
You refers to the individual accessing or using the FACCS Portal, whether as an authorized school representative, parent or guardian, or other approved user.

What Data We Collect and How We Use It

Types of Data Collected

Personal Data

When you register for or use the FACCS Portal, we may collect personal information that can be used to identify or contact you. This may include:

Your name (first and last)
Email address
Phone number

This information is typically provided by you during registration, account updates, or when participating in FACCS programs such as competitions, accreditation, or conventions. In some cases, additional information may be collected if you submit forms, upload documents, or contact us for support.

Usage Data

We also collect certain technical information automatically when you use the Portal. This "Usage Data" helps us improve security, performance, and usability. It may include:

Your IP address
Browser type and version
Operating system
Pages visited and time spent on each page
Device type (e.g., desktop or mobile)
Referring page or URL

If you access the Portal from a mobile device, we may also collect information about your mobile operating system, device model, and mobile browser version. This data is collected through server logs and analytics tools and is used to monitor system performance, diagnose issues, and understand how users interact with the Portal.

How We Use Your Data

We use the personal information you provide to operate the FACCS Portal and deliver our services to you. Specifically, we may use your information to:

Manage your account — including registration, login, access control, and user preferences.
Provide and improve services — such as student competitions, accreditation tracking, certification submissions, and event registration.
Communicate with you — including confirmations, reminders, important updates, and support responses. This may be done via email, phone, or text message if applicable.
Ensure security and compliance — by monitoring usage patterns, detecting abuse, and complying with legal or regulatory obligations.
Analyze trends — to help us improve the performance, design, and user experience of the Portal.
Respond to your requests — including technical support, password recovery, or administrative assistance.
Notify you of relevant programs — such as updated guidelines, upcoming events, or services aligned with your school's interests. You can opt out of these notifications at any time.

We do not use personal data for advertising, data resale, or behavioral tracking by third-party platforms.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share it in limited situations that help us operate the Portal securely and effectively:

With authorized service providers — who assist us with infrastructure, hosting, messaging, or support. These providers are bound by confidentiality and data protection agreements.
With your school or organization — if you are affiliated with a member school, relevant school administrators may have access to limited portions of your data for coordination purposes (e.g., team rosters or certification records).
During system transitions — such as in the unlikely event of a reorganization, merger, or transfer of our operations, your data may be securely transferred as part of the continuity of service.
As required by law — to comply with legal obligations or valid requests from law enforcement or regulatory bodies.
With your explicit consent — if you give us permission to share your data for a specific purpose.

We do not use or share your data with advertising networks or third-party analytics platforms like Google or Meta. All usage tracking is performed in-house and used only for internal improvement and operational awareness.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to ensure the secure and reliable operation of the FACCS Portal. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help improve your user experience.

Why We Use Cookies

The cookies used in our Portal serve essential purposes, including:

Session management and authentication — to keep you securely logged in while using the Portal.
Security protections — including Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection and traffic filtering.
User preferences — such as remembering whether you prefer light or dark mode.

We do not use cookies for advertising, cross-site tracking, behavioral profiling, or marketing purposes.

Third-Party Cookies: Cloudflare

Our infrastructure uses Cloudflare as a proxy and security layer. As part of that service, Cloudflare may set cookies (such as __cf_bm or cf_clearance) to:

verify your browser and reduce bot traffic,
allow you to bypass certain security challenges (e.g., CAPTCHAs),
and maintain secure connections to the Portal.

These cookies are strictly for security and performance, are not used for tracking, and are subject to Cloudflare's Privacy Policy .

Managing Cookies

Most browsers allow you to disable or reject cookies via settings. However, please note that disabling essential cookies may interfere with the basic functionality of the Portal, including the ability to stay logged in.

Retention of Your Personal Data

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. This means we may keep your data:

For the duration of your active relationship with FACCS, such as your role in a school, participation in programs, or use of the Portal;
As required by law, including for regulatory or tax purposes;
To resolve disputes or respond to inquiries;
To enforce our Terms of Service and protect the integrity of our services.

Once data is no longer needed for these purposes, we take steps to securely delete, anonymize, or archive it in accordance with applicable legal and operational requirements.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

The FACCS Portal is hosted and operated in the United States. By using the Portal and submitting your information, you acknowledge and agree that your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your local jurisdiction. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal data remains protected, regardless of where it is processed. These safeguards may include secure infrastructure, encrypted communication, limited access controls, and contractual obligations with any third parties or service providers who assist in the delivery of our services. We do not transfer your data internationally beyond our controlled systems unless it is necessary to fulfill a core service or function and only with adequate protection in place.

Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to request deletion of your personal data collected through the FACCS Portal. In some cases, you may be able to delete or update your information directly by logging into your account and using the available settings or profile management tools. If you are unable to do so, or if you need further assistance, you may contact us at [email protected], and we will respond to your request in a timely manner. Please note that certain data may be retained for legitimate reasons, including:

Compliance with applicable legal or regulatory obligations
Internal recordkeeping related to programs you've participated in
Resolving disputes or enforcing agreements

We limit retained data to what is reasonably necessary for those purposes and securely dispose of information when it is no longer required.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If FACCS is ever involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred as part of that process. If such a transfer occurs, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you and ensure that your data continues to be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy or an equivalent one.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if we believe such action is necessary to:

Comply with applicable laws, legal processes, or valid governmental requests (e.g., subpoenas or court orders)
Protect and defend the rights or property of FACCS
Investigate or prevent potential wrongdoing related to the Portal
Safeguard the safety of users or the public
Protect against legal claims or liability

We do not disclose your personal data for marketing, advertising, or commercial resale purposes.

Security of Your Personal Data

We take the protection of your personal information seriously. The FACCS Portal uses commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to help protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we work hard to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to keep your login credentials confidential and notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

Children's Privacy

The FACCS Portal supports school-affiliated programs, including academic and fine arts competitions for students in grades 1-12. As part of these programs, we may collect limited personal information about student participants, such as:

Full name
Current grade level
School affiliation (or homeschool designation)

This information is collected only for purposes such as student registration, event scheduling, and competition administration. All student data must be submitted by either:

Authorized school personnel (e.g., administrators, teachers, coordinators), or
A parent or legal guardian in the case of homeschool students.

These individuals are responsible for obtaining any required parental or guardian consent under applicable laws. We do not knowingly allow students to register or use the FACCS Portal directly. All student-related information must be submitted and managed by an adult representative. If you are a parent or legal guardian and believe that your child's personal information has been submitted without proper authorization or outside of the intended context, please contact us at [email protected]. We will promptly investigate and take appropriate action, including removing the data if warranted.

Links to Other Websites

The FACCS Portal may contain links to external websites that are not operated or maintained by FACCS. If you follow a third-party link, you will be redirected to that third party's site. We encourage you to review the privacy policy and terms of service of any external site you visit. FACCS has no control over—and assumes no responsibility for—the content, privacy practices, or policies of any third-party websites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the features of the FACCS Portal. When we do, we will post the updated version on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date at the top.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of the Portal after we post any updates constitutes your acknowledgment and agreement to the revised policy.

If material changes are made that significantly impact your rights or how we process your Personal Data, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you, such as by posting a prominent notice on the Portal.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]
Mailing address:
Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Inc.
P.O. Box 1065
Hobe Sound, FL 33755