JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — A worldwide cyber security breach is impacting several local school districts. PowerSchool is a cloud-based software provider that allows parents to track students’ grades, schedules, assignments and absences through an app.

The company states on its website that on December 28, 2024, it “became aware of a potential cyber security incident involving unauthorized access to certain PowerSchool Student Information System information through one of our community-focused customer portals, PowerSource.”

The Washington County, Tennessee school system is one of its customers, as is Johnson City Schools, Bristol, Tennessee Schools and Sullivan County Schools.

Washington County Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Boyd told News Channel 11 that he became aware of the breach last week.

“It was specifically targeting student information–that has student information like directory information, academic record, their schedule and so on,” Boyd explained. “And then our employees that utilize PowerSchool like our teachers, not all employees, but the ones that have a reason to be in there … that data was also included.”

For students in Tennessee, Social Security numbers are not attached to PowerSchool. But for teachers, more sensitive information like Social Security numbers may have been included in the breach.

The Washington County, Tennessee School District issued two statements Monday: one to parents and the other to employees. Boyd said anyone discovered to be directly impacted will be contacted individually.

“It’s based on the information, the guidance that we received both from the state and from PowerSchool. But we also feel it’s necessary to take an additional step as we go through all of the files, and those individuals that come up as maybe have been impacted, we’ll have direct communication with them.”

In the statement from the school system, Boyd said with PowerSchool’s help, more information and resources including credit monitoring and identity protection services will be offered to those affected.

Bold told News Channel 11 that PowerSchool representatives say the data leak has been stopped.

“PowerSchool says they have basically addressed the situation and the bad actor that committed the breach. They have indicated that the data has not gone any further. But, we’re going through all of our records, identifying exactly who may have been involved in that breach.”

As of now, Boyd said there are no plans to change student information vendors in Washington County Schools, as long as PowerSchool takes necessary actions concerning this breach. But if not, Boyd says they may look at other student information vendors in the future.