Privacy Policy Statement

Thank you for visiting the Arizona Department of Education web site and reviewing our Privacy Policy Statement. Pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-3901 et seq., all agency web sites of the State of Arizona shall contain a Privacy Policy Statement. This statement is designed to inform our customers about the information available online through the Arizona Department of Education web site, how that information will be used, and what steps are being taken to ensure the security of customer data. State employees, as well as agents or employees of private contractors who are providing services on behalf of the State, may be given access to and possession of your information. Your rights to privacy are of utmost importance to the Arizona Department of Education in building trust and confidence when conducting business through the Internet.

Online Customer Service and Alternatives

The Arizona Department of Education web site offers services online that you might otherwise transact in person or by mail. Our goal is to provide citizens with a more convenient and efficient means in which to interact with the Arizona Department of Education. If at any time you choose not to proceed with a transaction offered through the Arizona Department of Education web site, your choice will in no way affect your ability to receive benefits or services. If you prefer to apply for benefits or services in person, or by mail, you may do so.

Collection and Use of Information

The information collected from an application submitted online will be treated in the same manner as the information collected from an application submitted on a hard copy. The information you disclose to the State of Arizona will generally become a matter of public record pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121, et seq. The State may be required to divulge personal information in response to a public records request and in response to a warrants, subpoenas and/or other court orders. Not all of the information contained within a public record, however, may be re-disclosed by the State to other persons or entities. Social security numbers, for example, are protected by the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. If you have inquiries regarding how the information you submit online will be treated, please contact he Arizona Department of Education directly.

Personal information such as name, home address, birth date, medical or disability information, social security and credit card numbers that are provided online through the Arizona Department of Education web site, will be treated as confidential and thus, with only limited exceptions, will not be shared, sold or otherwise disseminated to any outside person or entity. If any personal information is intended to be released to third parties, A.R.S. § 41-4152 (5) and (6) requires the Arizona Department of Education to identify when, how and to whom that information will be released. The Arizona Department of Education may not refuse to process a person’s request for services or benefits because he or she does not wish to have their information disclosed to another individual or entity.

The Arizona Department of Education web site will obtain your consent to disclose such personal information to other third parties by providing a method of identifying your approval. The Arizona Department of Education web site and State agencies may not refuse to process an individual’s request for services or benefits because he or she does not wish to have his or her information disclosed to another individual, entity or third party.

The Arizona Department of Education may have statutory and/or contract requirements to share your information with either the Federal government, State agencies, State contractors and possibly other cities, counties and local governments. This sharing depends on the program services and benefits you are applying for, of which Federal and State statutes will be cited as sharing authority. This information is obtained in order for these organizations to perform their duties in completing your benefits and/or services, and therefore, any refusal on your part may be cause for denial of State benefits and/or services.

Please refer to respective benefits and/or services web pages within the Arizona Department of Education web site for disclosure of when, how and to whom information will be released to third parties, A.R.S. § 41-4152 (5) and (6).

Security

The Arizona Department of Education and its consultants, as developer and manager of the Arizona Department of Education web site, have taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its computer systems and networks. These steps include, but are not limited to individual authentication, the security of transmitted data, security monitoring, auditing, and encryption of your information. Security methods and measures have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day practices of the Arizona Department of Education web site.

Cookies

To better serve our customers, the Arizona Department of Education web site uses "cookies" to ease the flow from page to page in password-protected applications, such as the Common Logon. Cookies are simple text files stored on your computer by your web browser. They identify your domain name or Internet Protocol address, as a method of distinguishing among visitors to the Arizona Department of Education web site. Cookies are used only by the Arizona Department of Education and are not shared with any other individuals, third parties, or entities. Areas of the Arizona Department of Education web site that do not require password protection, also do not require cookies. You can refuse a cookie or delete a cookie file from your computer system by selecting various options on your computer’s browser.