Data Protection Officer

Dean McWhorter, Technology Coordinator      McWhorter_D@Argylecsd.org    (518) 638-8243

Data Privacy and Security Policy 

In January 2020, the NYSED Board of Regents adopted Part 121 of the Commissioner's Regulations for the Strengthening of Data Privacy & Security in NYS Educational Agencies to Protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) pursuant to Education Law sections 2-d, 101, 207, and 305.  The district policy was adopted on November 12, 2020.

The Argyle CSD policy details specific privacy protections that ensure:

1. Every use and disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) by Argyle CSD shall benefit students and the Argyle CSD, such as improve academic achievement; advance efficient and effective school operations; empower families and students with information;

2. Personally identifiable information (PII) shall not be included in public reports or documents;

3. Parents, legal guardians, and eligible students (students who are age 18 or older) are afforded all the protections, where applicable, under the Family Education Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the federal regulations for implementing those statutes;

4. Alignment with the National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.

5. Annual training and notification for employees that handle student, teacher and/or principal PII.

6. Publication of the Argyle CSD data security and privacy policy on its website for its community of stakeholders.

Argyle CSD BOE Policy # 5676: Privacy & Security for Student Data, Teacher Data & Principal Data

Complaint Procedures for Unauthorized Data Disclosure / Data Breach 

Parents, legal guardians, eligible students (students who are at least 18 years of age or attending a post-secondary institution at any age), principals, teachers, and employees of an educational agency may file a complaint about a possible data breach or improper disclosure of student data and/or protected teacher or principal data. 

1. To submit a complaint, please download & complete the  Argyle CSD Unauthorized Data Disclosure/Data Breach Form. Paper forms are also available in the district office. 

• Completed forms may be submitted by email to the Data Protection Officer, Dean McWhorter, Technology Coordinator,  McWhorter_D@Argylecsd.org , or forms may be given directly to the principal who will submit the form to Mr. McWhorter.

2. Mr. McWhorter, or assigned designee, will contact the complainant by phone or email to review the complaint, and initiate an investigation.

3. Investigations will be completed and finalized in a reasonable amount of time, typically, within 60 calendar days from the receipt of the complaint. In the event the investigation needs to extend beyond 60 days, due to extenuating circumstances, the complainant will be contacted to inform them of the delay and the expected timeline for completion.

4. Argyle CSD will maintain a record of all complaints of data breaches or unauthorized releases of student/staff data & their disposition in accordance with applicable data retention policies, and report complaint reports & investigations as directed by NYS Ed Law 2d / Part 121 Regulations to the NYSED Chief Privacy Officer. 

Additional Information & Resources: