We are writing to inform you of a cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the vendor for our Student Information System (SIS).
Late Tuesday, January 7th, we were notified that on December 28, 2024, PowerSchool discovered unauthorized access to certain data through their customer support platform. According to PowerSchool, Farmington Public Schools data was included in the breach, and we later learned that many other school districts around the country and Canada were also included.
PowerSchool has assured us that the breach is contained, and the credentials that were compromised have been deactivated. PowerSchool informed customers that they engaged a firm to ensure that the data was not shared or made public, and they believe the data has been deleted and that no additional copies exist. This afternoon, PowerSchool executives held an informational webinar with customers to discuss the incident. It was emphasized that the only impacted system was the PowerSchool SIS, and not other PowerSchool products.
In the coming days, PowerSchool will provide further updates. We take the privacy and security of our students, faculty, staff, and families very seriously. It is important to note that Farmington Public Schools does not store Social Security Numbers or Health information within PowerSchool. We are closely monitoring PowerSchool’s response and holding them accountable to their commitments of transparency, privacy of information and security.
If you have any immediate concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Director of Finance and Operations, Matt Ross by email rossm@fpsct.org. We are committed to keeping you informed and will provide updates as we learn more.
Thank you for your patience and partnership.
