Families across the area are receiving notifications about how to protect themselves after a data breach involving the PowerSchool system, which contains personal information for hundreds of thousands of students.
PowerSchool, a student information system used in North Carolina since 2013, reported a data breach on Dec. 28, 2024, that compromised users’ personal information globally. The breach includes addresses, contact information, Social Security numbers, and limited medical alert information.
The North Carolina Department of Instruction stated it was aware of the incident on Jan. 7 and said, “We have been working closely with (Public School Units) across the state to identify the specific information accessed at each school and to support students and staff throughout this process.”
PowerSchool is offering two years of free identity protection and credit monitoring to any students or educators involved.
The company is directly notifying those whose information was compromised.
Less than 1,000 Social Security numbers have been compromised, according to the state.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed that its students and staff were impacted but could not provide an exact number of those affected. Schools in South Carolina were also affected.
As the investigation continues, affected families are urged to take advantage of the free credit monitoring services offered by PowerSchool to protect against potential identity theft.
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