On December 28, 2024, over 33,000 students and faculty members in Maine high schools were affected by a software breach. PowerSchool, an education software company that works with Maine schools, experienced a data leak of information such as Social Security numbers, contact information, health records, and more. School districts including, but not limited to Kennebunk, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, Cumberland, and Lewiston, have all experienced an influx of reports on information stolen. 

School officials in Maine were caught off guard. Matthew Shinberg, Superintendent at Kennebunk High School, stated, “PowerSchool notified us on January 7, 2025 about the cybersecurity incident. We, in turn, notified staff and caregivers. Immediately, PowerSchool laid out a plan for how they would support schools that were affected, including providing identity theft protection and credit monitoring to those who had their data compromised.” 

PowerSchool is a “versatile, cloud-based platform designed to streamline student information management and support improved academic performance in schools,” according to its website. It is used in many K-12 districts throughout the United States and serves a variety of users, including students, educators, parents, and administrators. It offers numerous features, such as tracking grades and attendance, while also incorporating administrative functionalities, such as scheduling and registration. Educators and administrators depend on the system to efficiently manage academic content.

The company has openly acknowledged the security issue and has posted a link on their website to provide any additional information on the matter. “PowerSchool initiated notifying our customers on January 17th, as well as individuals on February 3rd by posting a notice to our website, and publishing a press release. In the coming weeks, direct email notifications will go out to involved students and educators for whom we have sufficient contact information,” stated their press release. Details are also expected to be posted on their social media pages. This is not PowerSchool’s first significant breach; they have an entire page dedicated to security breaches which is divided into categories for both the U.S. and Canada. They claim to emphasize data privacy, but what precautions are they taking? 

Cybersecurity has evolved immensely over the past few years to keep up with hackers, from anti-virus technology to using artificial intelligence defense systems. With widespread individual information being shared online, cybercrime has become increasingly prevalent. Schools are meant to be a safe space for their students; unfortunately, it has become increasingly evident that this safety is at greater risk.