American Professional Development Group LLC, doing business as American Professional School (“APS,” “School,” “we,” “us,” or “our”)
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, retain, and protect personal information when you visit americanprofessionalschool.org (and related pages), submit a form, enroll in a program, use learner services, interact with the APS Open Credential Verification Tool, or otherwise engage with us. It applies to our competency-based education (CBE) professional credential programs (Professional, Master, and Executive pathways) and related services.
APS is a Montana limited liability company. Our registered office and mailing address is 1001 S. Main St. Ste 7998, Kalispell, MT 59901. Privacy and records requests: contact@americanprofessionalschool.org. General inquiries: info@americanprofessionalschool.org. Telephone: +1-406-316-8010.
1. Who We Are and Scope
We are a Montana vocational and professional development organization offering online, non-degree continuing professional education and competency-based credentials for experienced professionals. Instruction and learner services are delivered online.
This policy covers personal data processed in connection with:
- Program enrollment, delivery, assessment, and credentialing
- Learner support and communications
- Website and online platform use (including the Open Credential Verification Tool)
- Employer or organizational relationships related to credentials
- Administrative, quality assurance, and compliance activities
It applies to current and prospective learners, credential holders, website visitors, employers, and other individuals who interact with APS.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following categories of personal information:
- Identity and contact data: Name, email address, telephone number, postal address, professional title, employer or organization name.
- Professional and eligibility data: Work history, qualifications, years of experience, and information submitted to demonstrate readiness for a credential pathway.
- Learner and assessment data: Program enrollment records, discipline/track selection, learning activity progress, assessment submissions and evidence portfolios, feedback, competency judgments, credential outcomes, Credential ID, designation, field, completion date, and Oath status.
- Technical and usage data: IP address, device and browser information, operating system, login timestamps, pages viewed, referring URL, approximate location derived from IP, and platform usage data necessary for access, security, and service improvement. Cookie and similar identifiers (see Section 7).
- Communications data: Records of inquiries, support requests, complaints, petition letters, cancellation requests, survey responses, and correspondence.
- Payment and billing data: Limited billing information processed by our payment providers (we do not store full payment card details on our systems).
We do not intentionally collect special-category data (such as health information) unless it is voluntarily provided by a learner in connection with a reasonable adjustment request and is necessary to deliver the program. We collect information directly from you, through our learning platform and website, from payment/email/hosting/analytics providers, and (where reasonably needed and authorized) from sources that confirm information you have given us.
3. How We Use Information and Lawful Bases
We process personal information for the following purposes. Depending on your location, the lawful bases include contractual necessity, legitimate interests, legal obligation, and consent (where required).
| Purpose | Examples | Lawful Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Program delivery and credentialing | Enrollment, assessment, issuing credentials, maintaining learner records, operating the public verification tool | Contractual necessity / legitimate interests |
| Learner support and communications | Responding to inquiries, providing technical or academic support, sending program updates and service messages | Contractual necessity / legitimate interests / consent (for non-essential or marketing communications) |
| Quality assurance and improvement | Analyzing aggregated outcomes, reviewing complaints and feedback, improving content and processes, securing and debugging the site | Legitimate interests |
| Compliance and legal obligations | Record-keeping for audit, responding to legal requests, preventing fraud or academic dishonesty, enforcing agreements | Legal obligation / legitimate interests |
| Marketing (limited) | Sending information about relevant programs or updates (you may unsubscribe) | Consent (where required) |
We do not use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal effects without human involvement in credential approval. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
4. How We Share Information
We do not sell personal information and we do not rent email addresses. We share personal information only when necessary and with appropriate safeguards. Categories of recipients include:
- Learning platform, hosting, email, analytics, and technology providers that support program delivery and the website
- Payment processors for billing
- Professional service providers (IT support, legal, accounting) under confidentiality obligations
- Employers or other third parties who use the APS Open Credential Verification Tool (with last name and Credential ID) to confirm limited issuance facts
- Competent authorities when required by law or to protect rights, safety, or assessment integrity
- A successor organization in the event of a transfer of the business, subject to equivalent protections
APS Open Credential Verification Tool: Public verification is intentional and limited. Anyone who enters a learner’s last name and Credential ID can confirm only the following issuance facts: that APS issued the credential, the participant’s first and last name, the diploma awarded, the authorized designation/title, the competencies awarded, the date awarded, and Oath status. No other personal information (such as contact details, submitted background information, or grades) are displayed or accessible through the tool. Do not publish or share your Credential ID if you do not want others to perform this limited verification. Where we use third-party processors, we require them to process data only on our instructions and to maintain appropriate security.
5. Storage and Security
Personal data is stored on secure systems hosted by reputable providers. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures, including access controls and role-based permissions, encryption of data in transit and at rest where feasible, regular review of access rights, secure backup procedures, and staff/contractor awareness of confidentiality obligations. Access to learner and assessment records is limited to personnel who need it to perform their roles. No internet transmission is guaranteed secure. You are responsible for keeping any password confidential and for activity under your account.
6. International Transfers
APS is based in the United States (Montana). If you access the site or enroll from outside the United States, your information will be processed in the United States. If we process personal data of individuals located in the UK or EEA, or transfer data outside the UK/EEA, we do so using appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses or other lawful mechanisms recognized under UK GDPR / GDPR. Individuals may request further information about these safeguards. Enrollment does not create U.S. student-visa or SEVP status.
7. Cookies and Analytics
We and our providers use cookies and similar tools to keep sessions working on forms and logged-in areas, remember preferences, measure traffic and site performance, and help secure the site. The public website uses Google Analytics and related tags (including Google Site Kit). Google may process technical data in accordance with its own policies.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser. Some enrollment, payment, or form functions may not work if cookies are disabled. We do not currently operate a separate cookie-consent banner. If we add one, that banner will control optional cookies where required by law. Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” signal; our site does not currently respond to those signals in a uniform way.
8. Retention and Deletion
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described above, including:
- Active learner and assessment records: for the duration of the program plus a defined post-completion period to support credential verification and quality processes
- Credential records: for a longer period (including to enable lifetime verification of issued credentials) and to meet legal, tax, and dispute-resolution requirements
- Complaints, support, and inquiry records: for a limited period after resolution or response
- Marketing data: until consent is withdrawn or the data is no longer needed
- Technical logs: for a shorter operational period unless needed for security or legal purposes
When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymized. Specific retention periods are documented in our internal Record-Keeping and Retention Policy.
9. Individual Rights
Depending on applicable law (including U.S. state privacy laws and, where relevant, UK GDPR / GDPR), individuals may have the right to:
- Access their personal data
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of data (subject to legal and legitimate retention needs, including for issued credentials, payment records, legal holds, or academic integrity)
- Restrict or object to certain processing
- Request data portability (where applicable)
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (for UK/EEA residents)
To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@americanprofessionalschool.org or write to the Kalispell address above. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law and may need to verify identity before fulfilling certain requests. We will not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights available under applicable law.
10. California and Other U.S. State Privacy Disclosures
If you are a resident of California or another state that grants consumer privacy rights, this section applies in addition to the rest of this Policy. Categories of personal information we may collect (corresponding to Section 2) include identifiers, customer records information, commercial information about program selection, internet or electronic activity, professional information you choose to submit, and education-related information created in our own assessments. We collect this information from you, from your device, and from service providers.
We use and disclose those categories for the business purposes in Sections 3 and 4. We do not sell personal information and we do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are commonly defined in state privacy statutes. Subject to exceptions, you may request to know, access, correct, or delete personal information, and to appeal a denied request by emailing contact@americanprofessionalschool.org with the subject line “Privacy Request.” Authorized agents may submit a request with proof of authorization.
11. Children’s Data
APS programs are designed for experienced professionals and working adults. Enrollment is generally limited to individuals 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 (or under 16 where that is the relevant age of digital consent). If we become aware that we have collected such data, we will delete it promptly except where we must retain it by law. A minor may enroll only with documented parent or guardian consent as described in the Enrollment Agreement.
12. Third-Party Links
The site may link to third-party sites, including credential registries and professional networks. Their privacy practices are their own. This Policy does not cover those sites.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will be published on our website. The effective date above will change when we do. Material changes will be posted on this page or communicated where appropriate. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted change means you accept the updated Policy, except where applicable law requires additional consent.
14. Contact
Questions about this policy or requests relating to personal data should be directed to:
American Professional School
Email: contact@americanprofessionalschool.org
Mail: 1001 S. Main St. Ste 7998, Kalispell, MT 59901
Telephone: +1-406-316-8010
