ETS Data Security Incident May Affect SFUSD Students and Families

SFUSD students and families may have received notification from Educational Testing Service (ETS) about a data security incident involving unauthorized access to and copying of student information from an ETS-operated site. 

ETS is a nonprofit assessment organization under contract with the State of California to provide state and federally required testing to all students enrolled in California public schools. While the data breach was on ETS’s server and outside of SFUSD’s control, we understand that news of this breach is alarming and potentially affects all students enrolled in SFUSD from 2023 to now, regardless of whether they were tested or not. 

The student information accessed and copied varies by individual, but may include:

• Student name, date of birth, residential address, school, district, and grade level;
• Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) and local student identifier;
• Gender, race or ethnicity, primary language, country of origin, and English learner status;
• Disability and Section 504 status, testing accommodations, and primary disability type;
• Eligibility status for the following programs: Title I, Part A; Title I, Part C; McKinney-Vento; and Military Connected Student; and/or
• English language proficiency information and statewide assessment registration, participation, and results, where applicable.

The data accessed and copied did not include Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, financial account information, credit or debit card information, or account passwords. The incident did not involve parent or guardian personal information.

ETS is working with the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide further information to families and students about the incident. ETS is also providing affected students with complimentary identity-protection services through Experian IdentityWorks for 2 years. 

As the incident and the response to the incident are being handled by ETS and the CDE, SFUSD students and families with questions should contact ETS by calling 833-931-8488, Monday – Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time. If you have a speech or hearing impairment and use a TTY, please call 711. When calling, please provide your engagement number:

• B174774 for students under 18
• B174775 for students 18 or over

For more information about the incident, including what happened, steps families can take, and available identity-protection services, please visit the California Department of Education's website.