Privacy Policy

Plain-English Summary

• We collect what we need to run your homeschool: account info, the children you add, and the records you create.
• We never sell your data or your children's data. There are no advertising trackers in the Service.
• Only you control your family's data. You can view, export, or delete it at any time.
• AI features (like AI grading) send your submitted content to Anthropic for real-time processing. Anthropic does not train on your data.
• You can close your account anytime; we delete your data within 30 days (backups within 90).

The summary above is a courtesy. The full terms below govern the relationship.

1. Who We Are

HomeSkoolHelper LLC ("HomeSkoolHelper," "we," "us," or "our") operates the homeschool management platform available at homeskoolhelper.com (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices and rights you have.

This Policy applies to all visitors, account holders, and users of the Service. By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read this Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, password (stored as a salted hash by our authentication provider), and — optionally — your state of residence. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email, and profile picture from Google.

2.2 Child Information

You may add information about each child in your household, such as first and last name, date of birth, grade level, learning style, interests, and special needs. All child information is provided voluntarily by you, the parent or guardian.

2.3 Educational Records

The Service stores educational records you create or upload, including attendance entries, course and subject lists, assignments, grades, transcripts, report cards, portfolio items (photos, scans, documents), curriculum profiles, dual-enrollment records, and AI grading sessions and results.

2.4 Payment Information

Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. We never see or store your card number, CVC, or bank account details. We receive a customer ID, your billing email, the plan you chose, payment status, and subscription history.

2.5 Communications

When you contact support, we keep a record of your messages and our responses so we can resolve your issue and improve the Service.

2.6 Usage and Device Information

We automatically collect basic technical information when you use the Service: IP address (truncated where feasible), browser type and version, operating system, device type, referring URL, pages viewed, features used, timestamps, and error logs. This is used to operate the Service, debug problems, and detect abuse.

2.7 Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use a small number of strictly necessary cookies for authentication, session management, and security. We use one preference cookie to remember your selected color theme. We do not use advertising cookies, third-party tracking pixels, social media trackers, session replay tools, or behavioral profiling.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service and its features
• Generate transcripts, report cards, attendance reports, and other educational documents you request
• Provide state-specific homeschool compliance information based on the state you have on file
• Power AI features such as grading assistance, curriculum recommendations, and compliance analysis
• Send service-related communications: receipts, security alerts, compliance change notifications, and product updates
• Process payments, manage subscriptions, and handle refunds or chargebacks
• Respond to support requests and feedback
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, security incidents, and violations of our Terms
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our agreements

We do not sell your personal information or your children's information. We do not "share" personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under U.S. state privacy laws.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

We process your information based on:

• Performance of a contract — to deliver the Service you signed up for
• Legitimate interests — to secure and improve the Service, prevent abuse, and communicate with you about your account
• Legal obligations — to comply with tax, accounting, and legal requirements
• Consent — where required (for example, certain optional analytics or marketing emails). You can withdraw consent at any time.

5. AI Features and Data Processing

When you use AI-powered features (such as AI grading of student work, curriculum recommendations, or compliance analysis), content you submit is transmitted to our AI provider, Anthropic PBC, for real-time processing. This may include:

• Photos and scans of student work you upload to AI grading
• Course names, assignment titles, and grading rubrics
• Curriculum quiz responses and child profile details
• State law text and your state of residence for compliance analysis

Our integration with Anthropic is contractual and includes the following protections:

• No model training. Anthropic does not train its models on the inputs or outputs of API requests from our account.
• Short retention. Anthropic retains API inputs and outputs for a limited operational window (currently up to 30 days) for abuse monitoring, then deletes them.
• No advertising use. Anthropic does not use API data for advertising.
• Final authority remains with you. AI-generated grades and feedback are always presented as suggestions. You confirm, edit, or reject them before they are recorded.

AI-generated results that you save (such as confirmed grades) become part of your account records like any other content you create.

6. Subprocessors

We use a small number of carefully selected service providers ("subprocessors") to deliver the Service. Each is bound by a written agreement and may process your information only under our instructions and for the purpose listed:

If we add or change a subprocessor that materially affects how your data is handled, we will update this list and, where required by law, notify you.

7. How We Share Information

We share personal information only as described in this Policy:

• With subprocessors as listed in Section 6, solely to operate the Service.
• To comply with law in response to a valid subpoena, court order, or other legally enforceable request. Where permitted, we will notify you before disclosure.
• To protect rights and safety when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to prevent fraud, abuse, threats of harm, or violations of our Terms.
• In a business transfer such as a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, your information may transfer to the successor. We will notify you and you will have rights described in this Policy.
• With your direction or consent, for example if you ask us to share an export with a tutor, evaluator, or umbrella school.

We do not share information with advertisers, data brokers, social networks, or any third party for marketing or behavioral profiling.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

HomeSkoolHelper is designed for parents and legal guardians who manage homeschool records on behalf of their children. The Service is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13.

When a parent or guardian adds a child to their account, the parent is providing that information voluntarily and consenting to its processing for the educational record-keeping purposes described in this Policy, as permitted under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA").

As the parent or guardian, you may at any time:

• Review the information stored about your child
• Edit or correct any information
• Export your child's records in standard formats
• Delete a specific child profile or all child records
• Refuse further collection or use of your child's information by closing your account

If we learn that we have inadvertently received personal information directly from a child without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. Contact support@homeskoolhelper.com with any concerns.

9. FERPA and Educational Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") generally applies to schools that receive federal funding. HomeSkoolHelper is a private record-keeping tool used by individual homeschool families and is not a school. We do not act as a "school official" under FERPA.

Even though FERPA does not directly apply, we treat the educational records you create as sensitive and apply the protections described in this Policy. You retain full ownership and control of all records you create on the Service.

10. Data Security

We use industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information:

• All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256 at the storage layer)
• Database access is enforced by row-level security policies that isolate each family's data
• Authentication is handled through Supabase Auth with secure session management and HttpOnly, SameSite cookies
• Passwords are never stored in plaintext
• Access to production systems is limited to a small number of authorized personnel using multi-factor authentication
• We monitor logs and use automated abuse detection
• We perform regular reviews of our codebase and infrastructure

No internet service can be guaranteed 100% secure. If we become aware of a security incident that materially affects your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by applicable law without undue delay.

11. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active and for as long as needed to provide the Service.

• When you close your account, your data will be deleted from production systems within 30 days
• Encrypted backups containing your data will be purged within 90 days as they roll out of our retention window
• We may retain limited records (such as billing receipts and abuse logs) for the period required by tax, accounting, or other applicable law
• We may retain de-identified or aggregated information indefinitely; such information cannot be used to identify you or your family

You can export your transcripts, report cards, and other records at any time before closing your account. We recommend doing so to maintain your own family archive.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have one or more of the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to know / access — what we collect and how we use it
• Right to portability — receive a copy of your data in a portable format
• Right to correct — fix inaccurate information
• Right to delete — request deletion of personal information, subject to legal exceptions
• Right to opt out — of sale or sharing of personal information (we do not engage in either)
• Right to limit use — of sensitive personal information (we do not use sensitive information for purposes beyond what you have requested)
• Right to non-discrimination — for exercising any of these rights
• Right to appeal — a denied request, where state law provides for one

Most of these rights can be exercised directly through your account settings. For anything you cannot do yourself, email support@homeskoolhelper.com and we will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law (typically 45 days). We may verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

13. State-Specific Disclosures

California (CCPA / CPRA)

California residents have the rights listed in Section 12. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA). We do not use or disclose "sensitive personal information" for purposes other than providing the Service. The categories we collect and the purposes for collection are described in Sections 2 and 3.

Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws

Residents of states with applicable consumer privacy laws have the rights listed in Section 12 to the extent provided by their state's law. Submit requests by emailing support@homeskoolhelper.com. You may appeal any denial of a rights request by replying to our response email; we will respond to appeals within the timeframe required by your state's law.

Other states

If your state enacts comprehensive consumer privacy legislation after the date of this Policy, we will comply with applicable requirements as they take effect.

14. International Users

HomeSkoolHelper is operated from the United States and is intended for users located in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., you do so on your own initiative and consent to the transfer and processing of your information in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

15. Do Not Track

Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" or "Global Privacy Control" signal. Because we do not engage in cross-site tracking, advertising, or selling of personal information, these signals are largely a non-issue for our Service. We honor Global Privacy Control signals as an opt-out of any selling or sharing where applicable law requires.

16. Links to Third-Party Sites

The Service may contain links to third-party websites (for example, field trip venues, curriculum providers, or state homeschool law pages). Those sites operate under their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for their practices.

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice through the Service or by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates the most recent revision. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or our handling of your information, contact us at:

HomeSkoolHelper LLC
Privacy Inquiries
Email: support@homeskoolhelper.com

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within five business days, and to formal rights requests within the timeframe required by applicable law.