MONROE, CT — PowerSchool notified Monroe Public Schools about a data breach allowing an unauthorized party to gain access to student information. The town’s district was among many impacted nationally and internationally.
PowerSchool, a student information system used by more than 70 percent of school districts across the country, serves more than 60 million students and teachers. The company is working with the FBI, which is investigating the case.
In a letter to families, Monroe Superintendent of Schools Joseph Kobza said PowerSchool contacted his office on Tuesday, Jan. 7, about the breach to the software company’s customer support portal that took place on Dec. 28.
“We take the privacy and security of the community’s information very seriously and continue to work with PowerSchool to address this situation,” Kobza wrote in the letter, which he shared with The Sun Monday. “PowerSchool has indicated that they will be providing resources in the next few days to affected families.”
“PowerSchool does not anticipate the data being shared or made public, and they believe that it has been deleted without any further replication or dissemination,” he said.
He said the information that was accessed includes data related to students, families and educators.
Among the steps taken since the breach:
- PowerSchool immediately engaged its cybersecurity response team and law enforcement.
- The compromised credential was deactivated, and access to the affected portal has been restricted.
- An incident report from a third party hired by PowerSchool is expected by Jan. 17.
PowerSchool will be setting up contacts and resources for affected families to use in the coming days. As more information becomes available, Kobza said the district will continue to keep families informed.
“We understand this news may cause concern, and we sincerely apologize for this incident,” Kobza wrote. “We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your information and working closely with you to address any concerns you may have.”
The superintendent encourages anyone with questions or concerns to contact Paul Koorse, director of technology for Monroe Public Schools, at 203-452-2879 or [email protected].
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