Some families in Lower Merion Township may be eligible for compensation as part of a settlement tied to the widely used college and career platform Naviance, writes Maddie Hanna, for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The $17.25 million data privacy settlement stems from a 2023 class-action lawsuit alleging that Naviance, owned by PowerSchool, allowed a third-party firm access to student data. The companies involved deny any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid prolonged litigation.
District officials say some Lower Merion families recently received notices about the settlement. The platform is commonly used in K-12 schools, meaning a significant number of local students could be affected.
To qualify, students must have logged into Naviance at least once between August 2021 and January 2026.
While the total settlement is sizable, it could be distributed among up to 10 million families nationwide, meaning individual payouts may be relatively small. Families can submit claims through the official settlement website ahead of a final approval expected later this year.
Officials also clarified that the settlement is separate from a 2025 data breach involving PowerSchool that impacted districts across the country, including Lower Merion.
To learn more about the data breach settlement affecting Lower Merion, visit The Philadelphia Inquirer.
