In early January 2025, Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia confirmed its involvement in a major cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a cloud-based education administration software platform. The breach, which occurred in late December 2024, impacted student and employee data at thousands of schools across the United States. PowerSchool, which manages the information of over 60 million students globally, stated that the security of its systems has been restored following the breach, which was confined to its internal systems.
The breach prompted FCPS to investigate the extent of the data exposure and its potential effects on local students, staff, and school operations. The district has been in communication with PowerSchool, urging the company to determine the specific scope of the breach affecting their community. As of the latest updates, PowerSchool has yet to provide detailed information on how deeply the breach may have compromised FCPS data.
FCPS has expressed its serious commitment to protecting the privacy of its students and employees. In response to the breach, the district has pledged to hold PowerSchool accountable and is continuing to request further details as the company investigates the incident. The district has reassured its community that it will maintain transparency throughout the process and continue to safeguard the sensitive data of its members.
While PowerSchool works to investigate the breach, Fredericksburg City Public Schools remains focused on ensuring the privacy of all affected individuals. FCPS has expressed gratitude for the understanding and patience shown by its community as the investigation into the cyberattack continues. The district has emphasized that its top priority remains the protection of student and employee information, and it is committed to taking necessary actions to prevent future incidents.
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