I have been using code.org for the last two years as part of my computer science classes. This a non-profit organization, and does not use any personal information for-profit. I create classes with my work email, using students’ first name only. Students do not have to provide email or last names. The only reason I create an account is so that I can track student progress through different units. The site does not require my students’ personal information. They sign in with a first name only and a password generated by code.org.

Prior to this past school year, some of our teachers have been free Seesaw accounts. This year we acquired a school-wide license for all our teachers. Unlike code.org, students’ full names are entered and each is given a student id. In their privacy statement, they clearly state that they do not sell your data or student data, own the content you add to Seesaw, student work is private to the classroom by default. They also state that they use the latest security industry best practices and are transparent about their practices and will notify if changes are made. As well Seesaw is FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR compliant.

Like Seesaw, several teachers had been using the free version of Freckle. Partway through the year, we decided to acquire a license for several grade levels. While a for-profit organization, Freckle’s privacy policy and terms of use read similarly to code.org and Seesaw. One key factor mentioned in their privacy policy is that the school must get specific permission from parents or guardians for students to use this platform. We do get permission from parents on several fronts in regards to utilizing technology, but we do not get specific permission regarding Freckle. This is something we will have to address this year.