PURPOSE:

The purpose of this data destruction policy is to ensure that the CNMI Public School System (PSS) outdated or unnecessary data is securely and systematically destroyed to mitigate risks associated with data incidents, unauthorized access, and regulatory non-compliance. The retention and storage of outdated, unnecessary data, including data with expired retention periods, consumes valuable storage resources and increases the risk of data security incidents. 

This policy establishes the requirements for identifying and safely disposing of data that is no longer necessary for operations, legal, or regulatory reasons while ensuring that longitudinal analysis needs are considered before disposal. Data identified for removal should be reviewed to ensure that essential longitudinal insights have been derived or preserved, supporting historical trend analysis and long-term outcome assessments. 

SCOPE:
Applies to all individuals and groups involved in the handling, storage, and processing of the CNMI PSS data. This includes employees and third parties who have access to CNMI PSS data. The scope extends across all CNMI PSS data, whether physical or digital and all devices and systems where data is stored.