Compliance Guide for Professors Using the Zero Support Tier

Program Compliance Portal

The Zero Support tier allows instructors and institutions to use the National Wine School platform without entering into a formal data-sharing agreement or support contract. However, to remain compliant with FERPA and other privacy laws, professors must take specific steps to ensure that student data is not personally identifiable within our system.

This guide outlines the practices required to maintain compliance while delivering exams, course materials, and instructional content through the NWS platform.

What You Can Do on the Zero Support Tier

  • Enroll students in courses using anonymous usernames and email addresses.
  • Deliver reading materials and exams through the platform.
  • Export performance data for your own gradebook.

What You Cannot Do

  • Upload or transmit student names, school-issued email addresses, or ID numbers.
  • Share student records or grades directly with NWS.
  • Use the support system to ask questions about individual students.

Required Practices for FERPA Compliance

1. Use Pseudonymous Usernames

  • Assign each student a non-identifiable username such as student105, winecourse_23a, or nws_user987.
  • Avoid usernames that include real names, initials, school identifiers, or birthdates.

2. Use Anonymized Email Addresses

Choose one of the following options:

Option A: Alias Email Addresses (Recommended)

  • Your institution assigns a forwarding email (e.g., nws105@yourcollege.edu) that redirects to the student’s inbox.
  • NWS only sees the alias, and you control the mapping internally.

Option B: Pseudonymous Emails (Secondary Option)

  • Use a dummy domain (e.g., student001@nws-classroom.com).
  • The account must not reveal the student’s identity or institutional affiliation.

3. Keep Student Identity Mappings Secure

  • Maintain your own list linking usernames and email aliases to student identities.
  • Do not send this mapping to NWS.

4. Manage Grades and Records Internally

  • NWS may display scores within the platform, but these must be exported and entered into your own grading system.
  • Student grades and personal data must not be stored or processed by NWS.

5. Avoid Personal Information in Messaging

  • If the platform allows messaging or notes, do not include student names, medical information, or academic records.

Why This Matters

FERPA protects students’ educational records from unauthorized access. As long as you ensure that NWS cannot identify any student through the data you enter, then your use of the platform falls outside of FERPA disclosure rules. This allows you to benefit from the platform’s instructional tools without requiring a formal agreement.

Questions?

If your institution’s IT or legal department has questions about using the Zero Support tier, they are welcome to contact us. We’re happy to help you structure usage that supports both teaching and compliance.

Scroll to Top