Information We Collect

Compugrade collects the following information to provide its services:

Account Information: Name, email address, school/organization name, and role (teacher, administrator).
Student Data: Student names, email addresses, assignment submissions, grades, and usage activity within the platform.
Technical Data: Browser type, device type, IP address, and usage logs for performance and security monitoring.

Compugrade does not collect Social Security numbers, financial information, or any sensitive personal data beyond what is necessary to deliver the educational service.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information solely to:

Deliver and improve the Compugrade platform and services.
Provide autograding, feedback, and classroom management features.
Communicate with account holders about their account, updates, or support requests.
Generate anonymized, aggregate usage statistics to improve our curriculum and platform.

We do not use student data for advertising, marketing, or any commercial purpose unrelated to the educational service.

AI & Automated Processing

Compugrade's autograding is 100% rule-based. We do not use artificial intelligence, machine learning, or any AI-based processing to evaluate student work. Student submissions are compared against pre-defined, deterministic criteria.

No student data is used to train AI models — by Compugrade or any third party.

FERPA Compliance

Compugrade operates as a "school official" under FERPA, meaning we access student education records only to perform services on behalf of the school. We:

Do not disclose student records to unauthorized parties.
Maintain appropriate security controls for all student data.
Support schools in honoring parent/guardian rights under FERPA.
Sign Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with schools upon request.

COPPA Compliance

For students under 13, Compugrade complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We:

Do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental or school consent.
Operate under the "school consent" exception, relying on the school to obtain appropriate parental consent.
Provide schools with the ability to review and delete student data upon request.

Data Security

We take data security seriously. All data is:

Encrypted in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher.
Encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption.
Stored in SOC 2 Type II certified infrastructure.
Accessible only to authorized Compugrade personnel on a need-to-know basis.

Data Retention & Deletion

Student and school data is retained for the duration of the active subscription plus 90 days. Upon request, schools may request deletion of student records at any time by contacting us at [email protected]. Data is permanently deleted within 30 days of such requests.

Third-Party Services

Compugrade uses a limited number of third-party services necessary to operate the platform (e.g., cloud hosting). All third-party vendors are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of any data accessed. We do not sell, rent, or share student data with third parties for any commercial purpose.

Contact & Data Requests

For privacy-related questions, data deletion requests, or to request a Data Processing Agreement (DPA), contact us at:

Email: [email protected]
B.E. Publishing, Inc.
P.O. Box 8558
Warwick, RI 02888
888.781.6921

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Compugrade platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you are using Compugrade on behalf of a school or organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that entity to these terms.

License to Use

Subject to your subscription agreement, Compugrade grants your school or district a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the platform for educational purposes during the subscription term. This license does not include the right to sublicense, resell, or copy the platform.

Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

Use the platform for any purpose other than legitimate educational use.
Attempt to reverse-engineer, copy, or reproduce any part of the Compugrade software.
Share login credentials or provide unauthorized access to the platform.
Upload any content that is harmful, illegal, or violates the rights of others.
Attempt to circumvent autograding mechanisms or academic integrity controls.

Intellectual Property

All course content, software, branding, and curriculum within Compugrade is the intellectual property of B.E. Publishing. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or use of any Compugrade content is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.

Subscription & Payment

Subscriptions are billed annually or as otherwise specified in your purchase agreement. Fees are non-refundable except as required by law or as specified in your agreement. Compugrade reserves the right to suspend access for non-payment after a reasonable notice period.

Warranty Disclaimer

Compugrade is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee uninterrupted access or that the platform will be error-free. We will make commercially reasonable efforts to maintain service availability and address issues promptly.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, B.E. Publishing and Compugrade shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform. Our total liability for any claims shall not exceed the amounts paid by you in the 12 months prior to the claim.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Bristol County, Massachusetts.

Changes to Terms

Compugrade reserves the right to update these Terms of Service. Schools will be notified of material changes via email or in-platform notification at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.