FERPA and School Data Handling

This page explains how The Purpose Profile approaches student data when used by schools and programs. It covers how student information is handled, how advisor and administrator access works, and what institutional review may involve.

This page is not a FERPA compliance certification, a legal opinion, or a school agreement. Schools have their own FERPA obligations and should evaluate whether and how those obligations apply to their use of The Purpose Profile. Schools considering deployment may need a written agreement before launch.

For school and institutional data questions, contact us at info@mypurposedna.com.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a federal law that generally governs how educational institutions handle student education records. FERPA applies to schools that receive federal funding and establishes rights for eligible students, and in some cases parents, related to access, review, and disclosure of education records.

FERPA compliance obligations rest with the school or institution. When a school uses a third-party tool or service that may interact with student education records, the school is responsible for evaluating whether that use fits within its own FERPA obligations.

The Purpose Profile is designed to support that evaluation, not replace it.

FERPA may be relevant to your institution's use of The Purpose Profile when:

Whether student data processed through The Purpose Profile constitutes education records under FERPA depends on your institution's specific context, your existing FERPA policies, and how the platform is integrated into your program. This is a determination your institution should make in consultation with legal counsel.

When a school or program deploys The Purpose Profile:

Students retain access to their own accounts and reports throughout their participation. School or program enrollment does not remove a student's ability to view their own information inside the platform.

Students who wish to request deletion of their account or associated data may contact us at info@mypurposedna.com. Where a student is enrolled in a school or program, deletion requests may require coordination with the relevant program.

Schools and programs that deploy The Purpose Profile through an institutional arrangement may provision authorized advisors and administrators. Their access is governed and school-scoped.

Advisor and administrator access may include student completion status, results summaries, report availability, cohort or program assignment, and information needed to support advising and program administration. Staff can access only information about students within their own school or program. They cannot access information from other schools or programs.

Advisor and administrator roles are not self-assigned. They are granted through a controlled provisioning process tied to the relevant school or program.

Public account signup does not create advisor or administrator access. Staff and administrator roles are provisioned for authorized users through a separate controlled process. That access is tied to the specific school or program scope for which it was granted.

This model is designed to ensure that only institution-identified, authorized staff can access student data within the platform.

Authorized advisors and administrators in participating programs may have access to archetype-specific faculty and advisor guides. These are staff-facing support documents designed to help advisors support student conversations more specifically.

Faculty and advisor guides are not publicly accessible. They are available only to provisioned advisors and administrators within a participating program. They are support tools, not diagnostic instruments.

Within a school or program deployment, authorized advisors and administrators may access student data according to their provisioned role and school scope, as described above.

Student data is not sold. Student data is not used for advertising. Student data is not shared with unrelated schools, programs, or third parties for commercial purposes.

The Purpose Pad works with service providers to operate the platform. Those providers may process data as needed to provide their services and are not authorized to use it for other purposes.

Because school and program use of The Purpose Profile may involve student education records, your institution may need a written agreement, data protection addendum, or similar document before deployment. This is a common requirement for institutional use of third-party tools involving student data, and it is consistent with best practices for protecting student privacy.

No standard written school agreement currently exists. The Purpose Pad can discuss your institution's specific agreement needs directly. Contact us at info@mypurposedna.com to begin that conversation.

Public self-serve use of The Purpose Profile is intended for users 13 years of age and older.

Students under 13 should participate only through a school or program arrangement where the school has reviewed and authorized the use. In that context, data collection is for the educational benefit of the student.

Institutions deploying The Purpose Profile in a high school context should review their own policies on student age, parental notification or consent requirements, and any applicable legal standards before launching a program.

This page is a plain-language description of how The Purpose Profile approaches student data in school and program contexts. It is intended to support institutional review.

It is not a FERPA compliance certification. It is not legal advice or a legal opinion. It is not a final school agreement or data processing addendum. It is not a substitute for your institution's own legal and compliance review.

For questions about school or program data handling, institutional review, or to begin a conversation about written agreement needs, contact us at:

Email: info@mypurposedna.com

You may also reach us through the contact form on the site.