1. Overview
This Privacy Policy describes how Ascend Training Institute, LLC ("Ascend," "we," "us," or "our"), an affiliate of The Jacob's Ladder Group, Inc. ("TJLG"), collects, uses, and protects information when you purchase or access our online courses.
2. Information We Collect
When you purchase or enroll in a course, we collect:
- Contact information: name, email address, mailing address
- Payment information: processed through third-party payment processors (Stripe, QuickBooks, or PayPal); we do not store full payment card numbers
- Identity verification information: government-issued driver's license or ID, collected for identity verification purposes in connection with courses that are ACAP or NCCA accredited
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information collected to:
- Create and manage your course account and access
- Process payment and issue receipts
- Verify identity where required for certification eligibility
- Communicate with you about your course, including access, updates, and support
- Send you related educational resources or offers, where you have not opted out
- Comply with legal, accreditation, or regulatory recordkeeping requirements (including NCCA and ACAP accreditation standards)
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share it with:
- Payment processors (Stripe, QuickBooks, PayPal) to process transactions
- NCBC or accreditation bodies, where required to confirm eligibility or issue certification
- Service providers who support our course platform (e.g., Canvas), under confidentiality obligations
- Legal authorities, if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of TJLG, Ascend, or others
5. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to comply with legal, accreditation, and tax obligations. Identity verification records (such as driver's license information) are retained only as long as necessary for that specific purpose.
6. Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted online.
7. Your Rights
Depending on your state of residence, you may have the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your information
- Opt out of marketing communications at any time
To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]
8. Children's Privacy
Our courses are intended for individuals age 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through course enrollment. This policy does not cover information submitted by parents or guardians through the AHAVA Parent Portal, which is governed by a separate agreement.
9. Course Data and Internal Analytics
We do not use cookies or third-party analytics or tracking tools on our course platform.
We do review course completion status, progress, and related usage data (such as time spent in a course or assessment results) for our own internal purposes, including evaluating course effectiveness, informing curriculum updates, and supporting accreditation and quality reporting under NCCA and ACAP standards. This data is used internally by Ascend and TJLG and is not sold or shared with third parties for advertising purposes.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Continued use of a course after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact
Questions about this Privacy Policy can be directed to [email protected]