The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of children under 13 online. Because ReadSprout is used by children, COPPA applies to us — and we take that responsibility seriously.
This notice explains exactly what information we collect from children, how we use it, and what rights you have as a parent or guardian. Plain language only — no legal jargon.
You can see all personal information we have collected from your child at any time.
You can correct any inaccurate information in your child's account.
You can request deletion of your child's personal information at any time.
You can refuse further collection or use of your child's information.
Yes. ReadSprout is a child-directed service — it is specifically designed and marketed for use by children, including children under the age of 13. COPPA requires us to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13, and to give parents control over that information.
We comply with COPPA and the FTC's COPPA Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 312), including all amendments effective April 22, 2026.
We follow a data minimization principle — we collect only what is absolutely necessary. Here is exactly what we collect and do not collect:
| Information | Do we collect it? | Why / Why not |
|---|---|---|
| Username (not real name) | Yes | Needed to identify the student's account |
| Grade level or age range | Yes | Needed to place the student at the right level |
| Reading level and progress data | Yes | Core educational purpose of the app |
| Session duration and activity | Yes | Used for parent reports and product improvement |
| Voice recordings (fluency coach only) | Yes — real-time only | Processed immediately to score reading fluency; not stored after scoring |
| Real name | No | Not required — usernames protect privacy |
| Photo or profile picture | No | Never collected from children |
| Exact birthdate | No | Age range or grade level is sufficient |
| Location data | No | Not needed for the educational service |
| Social media profiles | No | Never collected |
| Behavioral advertising data | No | ReadSprout never uses children's data for advertising |
We use two COPPA-approved methods for obtaining verifiable parental consent:
A parent or guardian creates the account and completes payment verification via credit or debit card. Credit card verification is a recognized method of verifiable parental consent under COPPA because a child typically cannot complete a credit card transaction independently.
When ReadSprout is used through a school, the school acts as the parent's agent under COPPA's "school official" exception. The school consents on behalf of parents strictly for educational use. Schools may not authorize ReadSprout to use student data for any non-educational commercial purpose.
We use children's information only for educational purposes directly related to providing the ReadSprout service:
We never use children's information for: advertising, marketing to children, selling data to third parties, behavioral profiling, or any purpose outside the educational service.
We do not sell children's data. We share it only in these limited circumstances:
Under the 2025 COPPA amendments, we obtain separate verifiable parental consent before sharing any child's personal information with third parties for purposes outside the educational service. We do not share with advertising networks or behavioral data brokers — ever.
Under the 2025 COPPA Rule, we are required to define and enforce data retention limits. Here is exactly how long we keep each type of data:
Note: Requesting deletion of your child's account data will terminate their access to the Service. We will issue a prorated refund for any remaining paid subscription period.
We respond to all COPPA-related inquiries within 10 business days.
Subject line: COPPA / Children's Privacy
ReadSprout Education LLC · readsprout.app