Privacy Policy

OMEA PRIVACY POLICY
 

Last Revised: November 1, 2025

Ohio Music Education Association (“OMEA”, “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects individual privacy and values the trust placed in us by members, students, parents/guardians, and the public. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect information you provide to us (through this website (“Site”), event registration, programs, or other channels).

This Policy also contains an open notice in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) and outlines our practices regarding children’s personal information. If you would like to review our COPPA notice, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

Please read the entire Policy before using our Site or submitting information to us.

BY USING OUR SITE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE VERSION OF THIS POLICY IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF USE.

Contact Information

If you have questions or requests regarding this Policy or our practices, please contact:

Ohio Music Education Association
P.O. Box 1357, Medina, OH 44256
Attn: Privacy / Data Protection
Email: executive_director@omea-ohio.org
Phone: 330-321-3738
Our Mission & Legitimate Purposes

Our mission is to foster excellence and equity in music education across Ohio through advocacy, professional development, student programs, and adjudicated events. Any personal data we collect serves to support that mission, including but not limited to:
 
  • Membership administration
  • Event and program registration
  • Coordinating student participation in adjudicated events and auditions
  • Communications with educators, participants, and stakeholders
  • Organizational operations, research, compliance, and evaluation
Information We Collect
 
“Personal Information” means information that – alone or when in combination with other information – may be used to readily identify, contact, or locate you. The types of Personal Information that we collect from you will depend on how you use this Site and your involvement in our programs. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not consider Personal Information to include information that has been anonymized such that it does not allow a third party to easily identify a specific individual.

We collect Personal Information only to the extent necessary to deliver our programs, services, and communications. We distinguish between voluntarily submitted data and automatically collected data.

1. Voluntary / Provided Data

Users may provide Personal Information in connection with:
  • Membership enrollment or renewal
  • Event or program registration
  • Audition or ensemble participation
  • Submission of compositions, adjudications, or related materials
  • Contacting us via forms, email, or telephone
  • Donations or purchases
  • Creating an account or profile (if applicable)
  • Typical data may include: name, mailing address, email address, school affiliation, telephone number, payment information (processed via third party), teaching or professional credentials, photo, biography, and other information relevant to event participation (e.g. student name, grade, school) as submitted by a teacher or school official.

2. Automatically Collected Data

When you use our website or interact with our digital services, we may collect:
 
  • Internet Protocol (IP) address
  • Browser type, device type, operating system
  • Date, time, and pages visited
  • Referring/exit pages and URLs
  • Cookies, tracking pixels, and similar technologies
We use this data in aggregate form for analytics, site improvement, security, and understanding usage patterns.
How We Use Your Information

We use Personal Information for:
 
  • Fulfilling our obligations (e.g. registering you or your students for events)
  • Communicating about programs, membership, or news (unless you opt out)
  • Administrative, operational, reporting, and archival purposes
  • Internal research and evaluation to improve offerings
  • Ensuring website functionality, security, and performance
    • Aggregating or anonymizing data such that it cannot reasonably be used to identify you.
  • Compliance with legal obligations
    • Carrying out any other purpose readily apparent to you or described to you at the time the Personal Information is collected.

We will not use your Personal Information for purposes incompatible with those listed above.
Sharing, Disclosure & Third Parties

We do not sell or rent personal information to third parties for their independent marketing purposes. Disclosure may occur under these circumstances:
 
  • Service Providers / Agents: We may engage third-party vendors (e.g. payment processors, registration platforms, adjudication systems) to perform services on our behalf. These vendors are contractually required to process data only for purposes we authorize and maintain appropriate safeguards.
  • Legal / Compliance: We may disclose information when required by law, legal process (e.g. subpoena or court order), or to protect our rights, safety, or the safety of others.
  • Aggregate or De-identified Data: We may release statistical or aggregated data that does not identify specific individuals.
  • Organizational Transitions: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale, user data may be transferred consistent with legal protections.
  • With Schools / Parents / Guardians: For participants in adjudicated events or programs, we may share relevant data with schools or parental contacts.

If you wish to opt out of certain disclosures (where optional), please contact us using the contact information at the top of this Policy.
Student Data & Education Records

Although we are not a “technology provider” and do not contract directly with school districts, we collect limited student-related information via educator or school registration for events. Our practices in relation to student data include:
 
  • We only collect student data when necessary for event administration and adjudication.
  • We do not engage in electronic monitoring of student devices.
  • We comply with applicable federal laws (e.g. FERPA) in contexts where they apply.
  • Access to student data is granted only to staff, volunteers, or contractors who require it for legitimate functions and under confidentiality obligations.
  • Student data is retained only as long as required for our programs, reporting, or legal obligations, then anonymized or securely deleted.
Payment and Financial Information

We do not directly collect any financial information about you. However, we partner with third party payment processors who will collect financial information about you, including payment information, in connection with donations or other payments through our Site. Although we make efforts to select vendors that will respect and protect your privacy, we have no control over any third parties. Thus, we make no guarantees about, and assume no responsibility for, the information or services provided by third parties. We encourage you to review any third parties to familiarize yourself with their privacy practices.
Cookies, Tracking, & Analytics

We use cookies and related technologies (e.g. web beacons, tracking pixels) to manage sessions, remember preferences, analyze site usage, and deliver content tailored to user interests.

You can typically disable cookies via your browser settings, but doing so may limit or impair some site functionality.

We may use third-party analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics) to collect and analyze traffic and usage patterns. These tools may collect cross-site usage data, and we encourage you to review their privacy terms and opt-out mechanisms.

Most modern web browsers give you the option to send a Do Not Track signal to the sites you visit, indicating that you do not wish to be tracked. However, there is no accepted standard for how a site should respond to these signals. We generally do not take any action in response to these signals except as expressly required by law. Instead, in addition to publicly available third-party tools, we offer you the choices described in this Policy to manage the collection and use of information about you.
User-Generated Content & Public Areas

If you post content (e.g. comments, forum posts, composition entries) to public areas of the Site or online forums, such content is considered “public,” may be visible to other users, and will not be subject to the privacy protections set forth herein. You choose what to submit but should be mindful that it may be viewed beyond your control.

We make no guarantee that user contributions will remain private; use discretion in the content you share.
Access, Correction & Deletion

You may request to review, correct, update, or delete personal information we hold about you by contacting us (see Contact Information above). Where feasible, we will honor your requests consistent with legal and contractual obligations.

We may retain archival or backup copies of your data even after deletion requests, where required for legal compliance or organizational recordkeeping.
Children Under 13

This Site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 through this Site. If we become aware of such collection without verified parental consent, we will take steps to remove that data promptly.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, our programs are available to students in grades K-12 and may require us to collect and maintain the Personal Information for children under the age of 13. Parents and guardians should review the COPPA at the bottom of this Policy, which further outlines our practices regarding children’s personal information.
 External Links

Links to third-party websites may be provided solely for your information and convenience, or to provide additional information for various other services. Such links do not necessarily imply any endorsement or approval of the material on such websites or any association with their operators. If you use these links, you will leave our Site. This Privacy Policy does not cover the information practices of third-party websites we link from our Site, nor do we control their content or privacy policies. We suggest that you carefully review the privacy policies of each site you visit.
International Users & Data Transfers

If you access our services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S. By using our services, you consent to such transfers, processing, and storage in accordance with this Policy. By visiting the Site or otherwise providing information to us, you agree that any dispute over privacy or the terms contained in this Policy will be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio and the adjudication of any disputes arising in connection with us or the Site will be in accordance with the terms herein.
Other Rights Depending on Location

Depending on your place of residency and applicably privacy laws, you may have one or more of the following rights:

Right to Access: The right to know and see what Personal Information we have collected about you in a usable format.

Right to Delete: The right to request that we delete the Personal Information we have collected about you, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Right to Correct: The right to request that we correct inaccurate Personal Information.

Right to opt Out of Targeted Advertising and Sale of Personal Information: The right to opt out of targeted advertising and the sale of your Personal Information (as defined under applicable law).

Exercising Location-Based Privacy Rights

If you wish to exercise your rights under applicable law, please follow the procedures below. We will respond to your request consistent with applicable laws.

Making Access, Deletion, and Correction Requests: To make an access, deletion, or correction request, please contact us using the contact information identified in this Policy.

Making Requests to Opt Out of Targeted Advertising or the Sale of Personal Information: While we do not sell Personal Information to third parties, we may use Personal Information for targeted advertising and outreach. Except as required by law, we do not allow users to opt-out of this data sharing or process tools that automatically communicates your opt-out preferences, such as the Global Privacy Control (“GPC”). If you believe that you have the right to opt-out of targeted advertising or the sale of Personal Information under applicable law, please contact us using the contact information identified in this Policy.

Identity Verification: When you make one of the above requests, we will need to verify your identity. Your request should also identify your place of residency. You may also make a rights request using an authorized agent. If you submit a rights request from an authorized agent who does not provide a valid power of attorney, we may ask the authorized agent to provide proof that you gave the agent signed permission to submit the request to exercise rights on your behalf. In the absence of a valid power of attorney, we may also require you to verify your own identity directly with us or confirm to us that you otherwise provided the authorized agent permission to submit the request. If you have any questions or concerns, you may reach us using the contact methods at the top of this Policy.

Appeal Decisions: To appeal our decision regarding a request related to these rights, you may contact us via the methods indicated at the top of this Policy.
Security Measures

We employ reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal information. However, no system is foolproof and these measures do not guarantee that users’ Personal Information will not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of such safeguards. By using the Site, you acknowledge and agree to assume these risks. You also agree to assume responsibility for the security and safety of your Personal Information and accounts by keeping account details confidential, and logging out of your account after each use, ensuring your computer has effective and up-to-date anti-virus, anti-malware, and other security protections.
Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time and without notice. Changes will be posted on our website, and we will update the “Last Revised” date. We encourage you to periodically review this Policy to keep track of changes.

Your continued use of our website or services after changes indicates acceptance of the revised Policy.
General

This Policy (including any documents expressly incorporated herein) constitutes the entire agreement between you and us with respect to our privacy practices and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether electronic, oral, or written with respect to this Site. If any provision of this Policy or any application thereof shall be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Policy and any other application of such provision shall not be affected thereby. This Policy is provided and accepted in the English language, which language shall be controlling in all respects, and all versions or translations hereof in any other language shall be for accommodation only and shall not be binding upon the parties. The translation of this Policy into any language other than English, including through the use of automatic translation software, may be imprecise or create substantial discrepancies. If there is a discrepancy between the English version of this Policy and any translation, the original English version shall prevail.
Thank you for trusting OMEA with your information.
 
OPEN NOTICE TO PARENTS AND LEGAL GUARDIANS
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”)

This notice is in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) COPPA requirements and outlines our practices regarding children’s personal information. Through COPPA, United States Federal Law requires organizations like us to obtain parental or legal guardian consent to collect, use, or disclose personal data or information for or from any users under 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from visitors or users of our Site who are under the age of 13. If you are under 13, please do not give us any personal information. However, in order for us to provide the most effective services for and avenues of communication, we partner with certain third-party service providers (“Service Providers”) that may need to collect Personal Information about and from your child. We require these service providers to obtain parental or legal guardian consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of your child’s information.

Personal Data/Information Collected Through This Site

We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose COPPA protected Personally Identifiable Information about users that are under 13 years of age through this Site, and this Site is not intended for use by users under the age of 13. This Site automatically collects certain non-Personally Identifiable Information about users such as patterns of usage, IP address, browser type, session data, access times, and other information relating to Site usage, choices, and preferences. We use this information to maintain operations and service quality.

How we Use the Information Collected

In order to offer certain programs, we partner with Service Providers that may collect certain Personally Identifiable Information. For more information about these third parties, please see the section titled “Third Party Service Providers” below. We use this information to run our events and allow students to participate in adjudication, competitions, and other in-person OMEA events. We will also disclose Personally Identifiable Information as required by law. We will not sell, trade, or share student’s Personally Identifiable Information outside of our organization without the express consent of the student and parent/legal guardian.

Opting-Out of Providing the Requested Information

The Personally Identifiable Information we request from students, parents, and guardians is required for students to participate in OMEA events, programs, and services. At any time, students, parents, or legal guardians may revoke their consent to participate in these programs or services, have the student’s information deleted, and refuse to allow us to collect further information about the student through the Service Provider that originally collected the data. By revoking consent, the student may not be able to participate in certain events or programs, or their participation may be limited, as a request to delete records may lead to a termination of an account and other services. Parents who do not wish to share or allow their student to share information through our Service Providers should contact us directly using the contact information at the top of this page to see if alternative arrangements can be made.

Choices and Controls

To request access to, change, or delete the personal information, students, parents, or legal guardians should submit a request through the Service Provider that originally collected the personal information. Parents may also submit a written request to OMEA by email to executive_director@omea-ohio.org. Consent from a parent or legal guardian will be sought if the request comes from a student. A valid request to delete personal information will be accommodated within a reasonable time, with the understanding that OMEA will only be able to delete information from its own records and that students may not be able to participate in certain events or programs.

Third Party Service Providers

We utilize various online tools and educational applications to support and enhance students’ learning. These Service Providers may collect limited personal information (such as name, grade level, and login data) to:
 
  • Register students for events
  • Provide and track scores, ratings, ranking, and other results for competition participants
  • Deliver personalized learning experiences and provide age and skill appropriate feedback

The current third-party service providers, along with links to their publicly available privacy policies, currently include:
 

Service Provider

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Data Processing Agreement

Acceptd

https://getacceptd.com/privacy-policy

https://getacceptd.com/website-terms-of-use

https://getacceptd.com/data-processing-agreement


Parents have the right to contact Service Providers at any time to review the information that has been collected and request that it be deleted.

Not every tool or application identified in our COPPA statement is used for every event or program. If you have questions about which services may collect your child’s information, please contact the appropriate program director.

For more information about COPPA, please visit  COPPA FAQ .