This page contains the most recent information available on the December 2024 PowerSchool student information system security breach. It was last updated January 31.

January 7, 2025 the state of North Carolina’s student information system provider, PowerSchool, notified the WS/FCS that an unauthorized party gained access to its system in December 2024. School systems across the state, nation and world were impacted, including WS/FCS. Information about WS/FCS students, families and staff was accessed during this incident.

PowerSchool reported that steps were taken to prevent the data from further misuse and the company believes the data has been deleted. According to PowerSchool, the incident was contained and they do not anticipate the data being shared or made public. NC DPI says there was no action WS/FCS could have taken to prevent this incident, which happened at the company level.

Based on information from PowerSchool, personal data of current and former staff members and students was accessed. PowerSchool officials said January 17 it plans to begin issuing notifications to involved individuals and relevant state attorney general offices in the next few weeks. It is unclear when anyone from WS/FCS will be notified that their information was breached.

PowerSchool announced it will work with the credit monitoring agency Experian to offer identity protection and credit monitoring services to all students and educators whose information was involved in the data breach. Visit the PowerSchool website to enroll now.

PowerSchool officials say it will provide:

• Two years of complimentary identity protection services.

• Two years of complimentary credit monitoring services.

PowerSchool reported that it will set up a call center to answer questions from the community.

Want more information about protecting your identify? Visit the NC Attorney General’s website for advice on monitoring or freezing your credit and other ways to guard your personal information.

See the PowerSchool website for frequently asked questions about the data breach.