Thank
you for visiting The Presidential Scholars Program’s
PSAonline
application section and reviewing our privacy policy.
Our policy is simple: We collect no personal
information about you unless you choose to provide that
information to us.
Neither
the Department of Education nor its contractors give, share,
sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party.
If you want to know more about how we record non-personal
information about your visit or how we use information that
you voluntarily submit, read on.
Otherwise,
enjoy your visit!
What
is ‘PSAonline’?
PSAonline
(hereafter the ‘Web site’) is a product of the
Presidential Scholars Program of the U.S. Department of
Education (ED). It is an on-line application system, which
allows eligible candidates, who have received an invitation
to apply to the program (including an assigned user
identification and password), to complete and submit their
applications electronically. PSAonline,
which is limited to users who have been authorized and
issued identifications and passwords by ED, is reached
through the Presidential Scholars Program’s main site,
http://www.ed.gov/programs/psp/index.html.
On
the main site, users can view general information about the
program including: the Executive Orders that authorize our
work; frequently asked questions; the Commission members
appointed by the President to select the Scholars each year;
and the organizations that partner with us, without
providing any personal information at all. The
PSAonline site provides secure access for candidates and
recommenders to enter, save, update, view, approve, submit
and print application information during multiple sessions,
using identifications, passwords and levels of access
authorized by the program. We collect no personal
information about you, unless you choose to apply to the
program and provide that information to us.
What information is being collected in
PSAonline?
The
online forms collect the same information as the program’s
existing paper application, and asks candidates to provide:
their first name, middle initial, and last name; permanent
address; State of legal residence, telephone number at
permanent address; mailing address and telephone number if
different from permanent address; personal information
including sex, age, date of birth, and Social Security
Number (SSN); e-mail address; high school name and address;
name, school subject area and address of the teacher being
nominated to receive the program’s Teacher Recognition
Award; first-choice college; information about extra
curricular activities, work experience, community
activities, special talents and awards; standardized test
scores; school transcripts; and responses to short answer
questions and one essay topic. The application content was
developed by the Commission on Presidential Scholars.
We
will not use this information except as may be consistent
with purposes identified in the Web site’s System of
Records notice published on December 3, 2003 (68 FR
67781-85), found at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont03.html.
Logging
in to PSAonline and saving information in the system
indicates that you understand that the information you are
providing may be disclosed by the Department as provided by
the Privacy Act and the routine uses in the published System
of Records notice.
Non-personal Information We Record
|
No
cookies or other tracking technology are used on the main
ED Web site, including the general information pages about
the Presidential Scholars Program. If you do nothing during
your visit but browse through the website, read pages, or
download information, our website's operating system will
automatically record some general information about your
visit.
During
your visit, ED's web operating system will record:
The
Internet domain for your Internet service, such as
"xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you
use a private Internet access account, or
"town.k12.state.us" if you connect from a public
school domain.
The
type of browser (such as "Netscape version x" or
"Internet Explorer version x") that you are
using.
The
type of operating system that you use (such as Macintosh,
Unix, or Windows).
The
date and time you visit our site, and the web pages that
you visit on our site.
The
address of the previous website you were visiting, if you
linked to us from another website.
The
user is not identified in the collection of non-personal
information.
The PSAonline
section of the site, housed on a different server, also does
not use cookies. Once you log in to PSAonline using
your assigned user identification and password, those
codes are already linked in our database to
the information we received about you from the College
Board/ETS or ACT, Inc., when they supplied us with your SAT
or ACT test scores. We used this information to
determine your eligibility, mail you an invitation
containing instructions on applying to the program, and
pre-populate the "Candidate Control Form" for you
in PSAonline. Confirming or changing the
information that we have on file for you on this form will
be your first step once you enter PSAonline, and you will
then be able to work on the other application forms and
save your work throughout your visit.
We
do use session and application variables to track users
while they are in the PSAonline system. However, when your
session ends, your session information is erased from the
system's memory. A user
session ends once you log out of the system or close your
browser, or when the system times out automatically during
periods of inactivity. Currently, the session timeout is set
to two hours.
Links
to Other Sites
|
Our
policy discloses the privacy practices for PSAonline.
Our
main web site provides
links to other websites. When you leave the
Department of Education’s Presidential Scholars
Program site
(http://www.ed.gov/programs/psp/index.html),
you will be going to sites that are beyond our control.
We try to ensure that links that leave our site are clearly
labeled. These other sites may send their own cookies
to users, collect data, or solicit personal information.
The privacy policies and procedures described here for
PSAonline
do not apply to any external links. We encourage you
to read the privacy policies of any site you link to from
ours, especially if you share any personal information.
Be informed. You are the person best qualified to
protect your own privacy.
|
What if I choose not to apply using “PSAonline”?
|
Submitting
and application using PSAonline
is strictly voluntary. You can print paper versions of all
application forms from
http://www.ed.gov/programs/psp/applicant.html.
The same information will be requested of you in those
forms, but you will be able to fill them out by hand and
mail them rather than submitting them electronically.
However, if you choose not to provide personal information
using either process, we
will be unable to consider you for recognition as a
Presidential Scholar.
|
How will the information collected be
used?
We
ask you for this information in order to:
Confirm
your eligibility as a candidate for the program and keep
track of your status throughout the selection process;
Assemble
information for use by the review committee and the
Commission on Presidential Scholars in selecting the
program’s semifinalists and finalists (Scholars);
Provide
technical assistance as you use the system by responding to
any e-mail requests you send us; and
Produce
notifications, mailing lists, press releases, medallions,
certificates, and other materials related to the program’s
recognition component.
Review and Selection of Presidential
Scholars
The
information you provide is
evaluated by a review panel and by the
Presidentially-appointed Commission on Presidential
Scholars, in order to select each year’s group of 141
Presidential Scholars. Your SSN is collected so that we can
verify that you are eligible for the program on the basis of
your SAT/ACT scores, and track your application. If you are
selected as a Presidential Scholar, your SSN and date of
birth will be used for security clearances during the
program’s annual National Recognition Week.
Recognition and Public Awareness
Activities
To
accomplish the purposes of the program and to publicize
those students selected for recognition, we will disclose to
the general public the names, States, towns and schools of
all candidates, semifinalists and Scholars through this
website.
We
will provide Scholars’ names and contact information
to the national, State and local media if requested, so that
reporters may interview them or otherwise highlight their
participation in the program.
We
will also send information about every applicant’s
status as a candidate, semifinalist and finalists to his or
her State’s Governor and Chief State School Officer,
as well as each applicant’s school principal, so that
they may recognize him or her (and in the case of the
principal and school staff, assist as appropriate with the
application process).
We
will send each Scholar’s name and contact information
to his or her members of Congress. We will also provide
Scholars’ names to vendors of services related to the
program’s National Recognition Week ceremonies, such
as the companies printing medallions and certificates, the
company transporting Scholars to all events, the location
providing Scholar housing, and the graphic designer and
printer producing the annual yearbook.
The
“routine disclosures” that apply to this and
many other Federal programs are listed in the Web
site’s System of Records notice.
E-Mail
Information
We
ask you to provide us with an electronic mail message
(e-mail), so that we may send you updates, confirm receipt
of your application when submitted, and respond to any
questions you send us while using the system. Please note
that e-mail is not necessarily secure against interception.
Please send only information necessary to help us process
your request.
|
|
Security
|
The
completion of system security plans is a requirement of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-130,
“Management of Federal Information Resources,”
Appendix III, “Security of Federal Automated
Information Resources,” and Public Law 100-235,
“Computer
Security Act of 1987.” The Web site has
conducted a system security plan demonstrating its
compliance with the IT requirements mandated by Federal law
and policy. The security plan contains details
regarding the Risk Assessment conducted for the Web site, as
well as the security controls
(hardware/software/facilities/personnel) in place to
mitigate risks to the information collected on the Web
site. Management, operational, and technical security
controls are in place for the Web site, encompassing
personnel, physical environment access, contingency plans,
disaster recovery, and identification and authentication
procedures. The System Security Officer (SSO) for the
Web site is Jerry
Alexandratos in the Office of the Chief Information Officer
of
the U.S. Department of Education (202-377-4458).
|
Rights
under the Privacy Act or other applicable law
|
A
‘system of records’ has been created under the
Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a. The system of
records notice was last published in the Federal Register
December
3, 2003 (68 FR 67781-85).
Each
record in this system is indexed and retrieved by user name,
identification and password that is issued by the program
and may be changed by the user of PSAonline. We can also
produce aggregate lists by name, State, application status
(submitted, not submitted, incomplete), and applicant status
(candidate, semifinalist, finalist). Accordingly, we
maintain the information you provide in a system of records
protected by the Privacy Act and administer it in accordance
with the Act and with the Privacy Act systems of record
notice published December
3, 2003 (68 FR 67781-85),
and found at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont03.html.
The
system notice explains that the information you provide may
be disclosed to third parties for discrete purposes.
In addition, the information you provide may be shared with
another agency for “matching programs” under the
computer matching provisions of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C.
552a). The agency, through PSAonline,
is authorized to collect and use the information you provide
under Executive Orders 11155 and 12158. Providing the
information is voluntary on your part. However, if you
choose not to provide this information, we will be unable to
consider you for recognition as a Presidential Scholar.
Once
you log in to PSAonline,
you will be asked to review a Privacy Statement and sign an
affirmation of candidacy (using your user identification and
password) on the “Supporting Information” form.
You will also be asked to sign a release of academic records
on the “Secondary School Report” form. A full
explanation of your rights under the Privacy Act is set
forth in the agency’s Privacy Act regulations at 34
CFR Part 56, which may be viewed by visiting this link:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/34cfr5b_03.html.
|
INTRODUCTION
TO PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
|
Section
208 of the E-Government Act of 2002 (P.L.107-347) requires
the Presidential Scholars Program to complete a Privacy
Impact Assessment (PIA) for each new system that collects
information in “identifiable form” from the
public through the Internet. The PIA has been reviewed by
the Chief Information Officer or equivalent official, and is
being made publicly available.
|
|
|
|
|
Privacy
Impact Assessment Questionnaire
|
System
Name: Presidential Scholars Program PSAonline
System
Owner: Melissa Apostolides
Privacy Impact Assessment
Questionnaire Author: Melissa Apostolides
Date:
9/15/2003
Officials
and organizational components involved in the analysis and
review of the Privacy Impact Assessment included the
following: Department of Education (ED) Office of the
Chief Information Officer (CIO), specifically William
Leidinger, and Chiquitta Thomas; and the Office of General
Counsel (OGC).
|
1.
What information will be collected for the system?
|
PSAonline
is an on-line application system, which allows the
program’s annual pool of approximately 2,600
candidates
to complete and submit their applications electronically.
It is
designed to replicate the program’s existing paper
application. The paper and online forms require candidates
to provide: their first name, middle initial, and last name;
permanent address; State of legal residence, telephone
number at permanent address; mailing address and telephone
number if different from permanent address; personal
information (sex, age, date of birth, Social Security
number); e-mail address; high school name and address; name,
school subject area and address of the teacher being
nominated to receive the program’s Teacher Recognition
Award; first-choice college; information about extra
curricular activities, work experience, community
activities, special talents and awards; standardized test
scores; school transcripts; and responses to short answer
questions and one essay topic.
Using
PSAonline is entirely voluntarily and therefore any
information collected is provided voluntarily by users.
However,
candidates
cannot be considered for recognition without providing
essential personal information.
No
cookies or other tracking technology are used on the main
ED Web site, including the general information pages about
the Presidential Scholars Program. If you do nothing during
your visit but browse through the website, read pages, or
download information, our website's operating system will
automatically record some general information about your
visit. During
your visit, ED's web operating system will record:
The
Internet domain for your Internet service, such as
"xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you
use a private Internet access account, or
"town.k12.state.us" if you connect from a public
school domain;
The
type of browser (such as "Netscape version x" or
"Internet Explorer version x") that you are
using;
The
type of operating system that you use (such as Macintosh,
Unix, or Windows);
The
date and time you visit our site, and the web pages that
you visit on our site; and
The
address of the previous website you were visiting, if you
linked to us from another website.
The
user is not identified in the collection of non-personal
information.
The PSAonline
section of the site, housed on a different server, also does
not use cookies. Once a user logs in to PSAonline using
an assigned identification and password, the system calls up
information already provided to the program by the College
Board/ETS or ACT, Incorporated. This information, including
SAT and ACT test scores, was used to determine the list of
eligible candidates, mail invitations, and pre-populate the
"Candidate Control Form" in PSAonline.
PSAonline uses session and application variables to track
users while they are in the PSAonline system. However, when
a user’s session ends, session information is erased
from the system's memory.
A
user session ends once a user logs out of the system or
closes their browser, or when the system times out
automatically during periods of inactivity.
|
2.
Why is this information being collected?
|
The
information in this system will be used to carry out the
authorizing Executive Order 11155 (1964) and its amendment,
Executive Order 12158 (1979), by:
determining
the eligibility of candidates and reviewing their
applications in order to select program semifinalists and
finalists on an annual basis;
developing
and implementing the program’s annual recognition
component; and
maintaining
historical records on the program for the time period and
in the manner specified in the Department of Education’s
Records Disposition Schedule (ED/RDS, Part 5, Item 6).
The
PSAonline system reproduces exactly the content of the
existing paper-based application system, but allows
applicants and school staff to submit
applications electronically, through links on the Department
of Education’s website. Offering an electronic
application option is consistent with the Government
Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), Pub. L. 105-277, which
directs the Government to allow citizens to use electronic
technologies when filing information with, or retrieving
information from Federal agencies. The paper-based option
for submitting applications remains available, for those
without Internet access, for those who prefer to use a
paper-based system.
|
3.
How will The Department of Education use this information?
|
The
information is used by the Department and its Contractors to
perform the
following
functions:
Verify
eligible candidates;
Provide
technical assistance and respond to e-mail requests from
system users;
Conduct
the annual selection of Scholars;
Announce
the program’s candidates, semifinalists and finalists
to the general public;
Produce
program recognition materials, including medallions,
plaques, and the annual Presidential
Scholars Yearbook;
Host
in-State recognition ceremonies for semifinalists and
finalists;
Arrange
the national recognition events, including Scholar
accommodations, transportation, and other services;
Inform
national, State and local media so that they may publicize
Scholars and the program;
Provide
information to the White House and Federal agencies for
briefings, speechwriting, or to obtain security clearances
for recognition events;
Notify
national, State and locally-elected officials of
candidates, semifinalists and Scholars in their States or
districts and assist with the recognition of these
individuals; and
Notify
State and local education officials to notify them of
candidates, semifinalists and Scholars in their States,
districts or schools.
|
|
4. Will
this information be shared with any other agency or entity?
If so, with which agency or agencies/entities?
The
Department of Education may disclose information contained
in a record in an individual’s account under the
routine uses listed in the Privacy Act System of Records
notice without the consent of the individual if the
disclosure is compatible with the
purposes
for which the record was collected. Specific routine
uses listed in the Privacy Statement include the following:
Disclosure
for Use by Law Enforcement Agencies;
Enforcement
Disclosure;
Litigation
and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Disclosures;
Disclosure
to the DOJ;
Employment,
Benefit, and Contracting Disclosure;
Employee
Grievance, Complaint or Conduct Disclosure;
Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) Disclosure;
Contract
Disclosure; and
Congressional
Member Disclosure.
Routine
programmatic disclosures listed in the Privacy Statement
include the following:
Disclosures
to the Review Committee and the Commission on Presidential
Scholars;
Disclosures
to the general public announcing the program’s
candidates, semifinalists and finalists;
Disclosures
to the general public of the annual Presidential Scholars
Yearbook;
Disclosures
to contractors for production of program recognition
materials and the Presidential Scholars Yearbook;
Disclosures
to contractors and college-age interns to arrange Scholar
accommodations, transportation, and other services;
Disclosures
to national, State and local media to publicize the
Scholars and respond to press inquiries about them;
Disclosures
to the White House and Federal agencies for briefings,
speechwriting, or to obtain security clearances;
Disclosures
to national, State and locally-elected officials and their
staff to notify them of candidates, semifinalists and
Scholars in their States or districts, and to assist with
other activities to recognize these individuals; and
Disclosures
to State and local education officials to notify them of
candidates, semifinalists and Scholars in their States,
districts, or schools.
Disclosure
also may be made for one of the above purposes to another
agency under a computer matching agreement that meets the
standards under the Privacy Act.
There
will be no sharing of information for purposes outside of
the above disclosure requirements or for anything other than
the primary purpose(s) of collecting the information.
Any contractor responsible for the operations of this Web
site, including General Dynamics and ACT, Inc. must comply
with the requirements of the Privacy Act in the handling of
information collected through the Web site.
|
|
5.
Describe
the notice or opportunities for consent that would be or are
provided to individuals about what information is collected
and how that information is shared with other organizations.
As
the Web site is a Government agency website that the public
accesses, the Privacy Policy is appropriately posted for Web
site users. This is a general policy, which applies to the
handling of any information collected at the site. The
policy highlights the
voluntary
nature of information collected, and explains which data
elements are necessary for each level of functionality.
Customers are notified that providing the information
constitutes consent to any and all of the listed routine and
programmatic uses, and they are given no additional
opportunity to consent to specific disclosures. In
addition, the policy notifies customers about the automatic
recording and potential uses of any non-personal information
about a visit (i.e., site management data).
The
above Privacy Policy, with links to the Web site’s
system of records notice, is presented on the PSAonline
log-in page, articulating the specific authority for
collecting personal information that will be maintained and
retrieved by name or identifier from a Privacy Act system of
records, the mandatory or voluntary nature of the
information collected, and the uses of the information.
Users
are specifically notified that this information is required
to complete the Presidential Scholars Program application.
Once
applicants have logged in to the system, there are two
additional forms where consent is required. The first is the
Supporting Information Form, containing a privacy Act
Statement and Affirmation of Candidacy which reads:
“The
Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) requires that you be given
certain information in connection with this request for
information. Accordingly, pursuant to the requirements for
the Act, please be advised:
1.The
authority for the collection of these data is Executive
Order 11155.
2.
Furnishing the information requested is voluntary.
3.
The data will be used for selection of Presidential
Scholars, engraving of Scholar medallions, and arranging
transportation and accommodations for Scholars.
4.
Other routine uses of the data are for preparation of the
Presidential Scholars Yearbook, public affairs, and press
releases to new media.
5.
Failure to complete the form will mean that you cannot be
included among those candidates being considered for
designation as Presidential Scholar.
I,
_______, understand that I am a candidate for the honor of
Presidential Scholar, have read the Privacy Act Advisory
Statement, and affirm my wish to be considered. In the
event I am named a Presidential Scholar, permission is
hereby given for the release of materials submitted by me
for the use of the Commission on Presidential Scholars and
the Department of Education as may be deemed appropriate for
purposes of the Presidential Scholars Program. I further
consent to the release of photographs which may be taken of
me, by or for the U.S. Department of Education in connection
with the Program. I am (check one) willing ___ unwilling
___ to appear on radio and/or television if such
arrangements can be made by the U.S. Department of Education
in connection with the Presidential Scholars Program.
Date:
____ Signature: ____________.”
The
second is the Secondary School Report, which states: “To
comply with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights
an Privacy Act of 1974, a school must obtain signed
authorization before it can release student information for
use in this program. Permission is hereby given to school
officials to release the secondary school record and other
requested information for the student named above for
consideration in this award program. Student’s
signature:___________ Date:___________
Parent
or legal guardian’s signature:____________
Date:___________”
Both
releases require the electronic “signature” of
the applicant, or his or her parent or guardian, if he or
she is a minor, granting permission to release information
as specified.
|
6.
How will the information be secured?
|
The
completion of system security plans is a requirement of the
Office of Management
and
Budget (OMB) Circular A-130, “Management of Federal
Information Resources,”
Appendix
III, “Security of Federal Automated Information
Resources,” and Public Law 100-235, “Computer
Security Act of 1987.” The Web site has
conducted a system security plan demonstrating its
compliance with the IT requirements mandated by Federal law
and policy. The security plan contains details
regarding the Risk Assessment conducted for the Web site, as
well as the security controls
(hardware/software/facilities/personnel) in place to
mitigate risks to the information collected on the Web
site. Management, operational, and technical security
controls are in place for the Web site, encompassing
personnel, physical environment access, contingency plans,
disaster recovery, and identification and authentication
procedures. The System Security Officer (SSO) for the
Web site is Jerry
Alexandratos in the Office of the Chief Information Officer
of
the U.S. Department of Education (202-377-4458). An
overview of the security measures for PSAonline is provided
in the “Safeguards” section of the Privacy
Act system of records notice published on December
3, 2003 (68 FR 67781-85).
|
|
|