At a glance
- We collect only what we need to run membership, certification, assessment and communications.
- We never sell personal data and never pass member data to third parties for marketing.
- Learner information should not reach us — redact portfolio evidence before you submit it.
- Our handling of personal data follows applicable privacy laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 for Nigerian residents.
- You can ask to access, correct, download or delete your data by emailing info@thesorts.org.
Who we are
This website is operated by The Society of Teaching Specialists Inc. (“SOTS”, “SOTS USA”, “we”, “us” or “our”), a nonprofit corporation registered in the State of Colorado, USA. SOTS is a professional society for teachers, trainers, assessors, curriculum and learning leaders.
SOTS is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy. This means we decide why and how it is processed, and we are responsible for protecting it.
This policy applies to website visitors, enquirers, applicants, members, certification candidates, referees, verifiers and partner institutions.
Information we collect
Information you give us
- Identity and contact details – name, email address, telephone number, country or region and correspondence.
- Professional information – your role, school or institution, qualifications, teaching experience, chosen membership route and tier, and a brief professional profile.
- Assessment information – portfolio evidence, reflective statements, case evidence, written assessments, interview notes, outcomes and appeals.
- Accommodation requests – information about a disability or health condition you choose to share so we can arrange reasonable adjustments.
- Payment and subscription records – what you paid, when and for which service. We do not store full card numbers.
- Enquiries – messages sent through our contact, advisor and join forms. Contact-form enquiries are emailed to info@thesorts.org, and a backup copy is kept in a protected server log.
Information collected automatically
- Server and device data – IP address, browser type, pages requested and the date and time of each visit, recorded in standard web server logs.
- Your country choice – when you choose your country on the home page, your selection is stored in your own browser (local storage) so you are not asked again. It is not sent to us.
Information from others
We may receive information about you from referees and employers you name, institutions that verify your qualifications, and payment providers.
Learner and student information
Teaching evidence can contain information about learners, most of whom are children. Our rule is simple: identifiable learner data should not reach us.
- Redact before you submit. Use initials or codes instead of names, remove health and family details, and do not include identifiable photographs or video of learners unless you hold the consent required by your school and by law, including from parents or guardians.
- Strictly limited use. Any learner information that reaches us is used only to assess your evidence. It is never published, used for marketing or shared beyond the assessors who need it.
- Removal. If identifiable learner data reaches us in error, we remove it and tell you.
How we use your information
| Purpose | Examples | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and certification | Assessing applications through the Professional and Experiential Routes, awarding tiers and designations, maintaining the register | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Assessment integrity | Moderating assessments, handling appeals, preventing plagiarism and malpractice | Legitimate interests |
| Reasonable adjustments | Arranging accommodations for candidates with disabilities or health conditions | Explicit consent; legal obligation |
| Payments | Recording fees, issuing receipts, handling refunds and preventing fraud | Contract; legal obligation |
| Verification | Confirming to a school, employer who asks whether a named person holds current standing | Legitimate interests; your request |
| Communications | Answering enquiries, service messages and renewal reminders | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Improving our services | Fixing errors, improving accessibility and security | Legitimate interests |
| Legal and governance | Financial records, responding to lawful requests, conduct and safeguarding matters | Legal obligation; legitimate interests |
Membership and certification decisions are made by people applying the SOTS standards — not by automated decision-making.
How we share your information
We do not sell personal data, and we do not pass member data to third parties for marketing. We share it only where necessary:
- Service providers – website hosting, email delivery and payment processing, who may use it only to provide services to us.
- Assessors and the Standards Council – to assess applications and to handle appeals, conduct and safeguarding matters, under confidentiality.
- Verifiers – referees, employers and institutions you name, so we can confirm what you tell us.
- Credential verification – we confirm whether a named person holds current standing, the domain assessed and the assessment date.
- Legal requirements – regulators, courts or law enforcement where we are legally required, including child-safeguarding obligations.
Cookies, local storage and third parties
We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. The home page stores your country choice in your browser’s local storage so that we can route Nigerian visitors to the SOTS Nigeria site and not ask again; you can clear it at any time in your browser settings.
Our pages load fonts, icons and page styling from trusted content delivery networks (Google Fonts, cdnjs, and on some pages the Tailwind CSS CDN and Unsplash images). When your browser requests these files, those providers receive your IP address and basic browser information, as with any website request.
International transfers
SOTS is part of a society incorporated in the United States, and our website and email services may be hosted outside your country. Where personal data is transferred across borders, we rely on safeguards recognised by the laws that apply where you live, including US state privacy laws such as the Colorado Privacy Act, the EU and UK GDPR, and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, such as contractual commitments that protect your data to an equivalent standard.
How long we keep information
| Record | Typical retention |
|---|---|
| Register entry (name, tier, designation, dates) | For the life of your membership and afterwards, so credentials remain verifiable |
| Unsuccessful or withdrawn applications and evidence | Up to 24 months after the decision |
| Assessment submissions and moderation records | Up to 24 months after the outcome, or while an appeal is open |
| Financial and payment records | Up to 7 years, for tax and audit purposes |
| Enquiry emails and enquiry logs | Up to 24 months after the enquiry is resolved |
When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it securely.
How we protect information
We use encrypted connections (HTTPS), restricted access on a need-to-know basis, server-side protection of enquiry logs, and confidentiality obligations for staff and assessors. No system is completely secure; if a personal data breach is likely to affect your rights, we will notify you and the relevant authority as the law requires.
Your rights
Under the laws that apply where you live, including US state privacy laws such as the Colorado Privacy Act, the EU and UK GDPR, and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, you may have the right to:
Access
Ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correct
Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Delete
Ask us to erase data we are not required to keep.
Portability
Receive your data in a portable format.
Object or restrict
Object to, or limit, a particular use of your data.
Withdraw consent
Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting earlier processing.
Email us with the subject “Privacy Request”. We may need to verify your identity, and we aim to respond within 30 days. You may also complain to a data-protection authority, such as the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office or your EU supervisory authority, though we would welcome the chance to resolve your concern first.
Children’s privacy
Our website and services are for education professionals aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children. Learner information in teaching evidence is handled as described in Learner and student information.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the law or our services change. The “Last updated” date above shows the current version; significant changes will be notified to members.
Contact us
Questions or requests about your personal data: