Effective Date: Jan 1, 2010
Last Updated: Jan 1, 2025

Midwest Teachers Institute (“MTI,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) values your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard information when you visit www.midwestteachersinstitute.org (the “Site”) or enroll in our courses and services.

By accessing or using our Site and services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our Site and services.

1. Information We Collect

• A. Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Register for a course or endorsement program
• Create an account on our Site
• Subscribe to newsletters or promotional materials
• Contact us for support or inquiries
• Participate in surveys or educational research

This may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing address
• Employer or school affiliation
• Teaching credentials and endorsements
• Payment details (processed securely via third-party payment processors)

• B. Student Records & FERPA Compliance

Because we provide graduate-level courses and teacher endorsement programs, student records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Under FERPA, students have the right to:

• Access their educational records
• Request corrections to inaccurate records
• Control disclosure of certain information

We do not share student records with third parties except:

• When required by accrediting university partners to issue course credit
• When legally required by government agencies
• When requested by the student with written consent

• C. Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information through cookies and tracking technologies, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on the Site
• Referring and exit pages

• D. Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors (PayPal ) for transaction verification
• Learning management systems (e.g., Canvas) for course access

Social media platforms if you interact with our content

3. Refund & Payment Policies

• A. Course Refunds

Our refund policy varies based on course type:

• Self-paced distance courses: Refunds available within 14 days of enrollment if coursework has not been submitted.
• Online endorsement courses: Refunds available before the start date. Once the course begins, refunds are not available.
• University-affiliated courses: Refunds follow the policies of the accrediting university.

Refund Request Process:

• Contact [email protected] within the eligible refund period.
• Provide your full name, course title, and reason for refund request.

• B. Payment Security

All payments are processed securely through third-party providers (e.g., PayPal, Stripe). We do not store credit card information.

4. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell or rent personal information. However, we may share data in the following cases:

• A. Accreditation & Academic Records

To provide graduate credits and endorsements, we must share student records with:

• University partners issuing course credit
• State education agencies when required for licensing

• B. Legal Compliance & Protection

We may disclose information when legally required, such as:

• Court orders or subpoenas
• Government audits or regulatory requests
• Preventing fraud, cyber threats, or unauthorized access

• C. Service Providers

We use trusted third-party service providers to help with:

• Payment processing (e.g., Stripe, PayPal)
• Learning management (LMS) (e.g., Canvas)
• Email marketing (e.g., MailChimp, Constant Contact, Aweber)

These providers cannot use your data for any purpose other than their assigned role.

5. Data Security & Retention

• A. Security Measures

We implement:

• Encryption for sensitive data
• Secure access controls for student records
• Regular security audits

• B. Data Retention

We retain:

• Student records for at least 5 years (or as required by accrediting universities)
• Payment records for tax compliance (7 years)

If you request deletion of your personal data, we will process your request unless retention is legally required.

6. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• A. U.S. Residents

Under FERPA and general privacy laws, you may:

• Access and update your records
• Request deletion of personal data (unless legally required for retention)
• Opt-out of marketing emails (unsubscribe link provided)

• B. California Residents (CCPA Rights)

If you reside in California, under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to:

• Request details on how we collect, use, and share data
• Opt-out of data sharing (we do not sell data)
• Request deletion of personal data

To exercise privacy rights, contact us (see Section 8).

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies for:

• Essential website functions (e.g., login authentication)
• Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Marketing (e.g., email tracking, social media ads)

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some features may not function properly.