Pennsylvania Student Data Security and Breach Notification Guide

Primary Law
Breach of Personal Information Notification Act (security breach notification requirements for personal information, including data held by public entities and contractors)

Citation
Act of Dec. 22, 2005, P.L. 474, No. 94 (Breach of Personal Information Notification Act)

Official Text
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/2005/0/0094..HTM

Overview

Pennsylvania's breach notification law requires entities that maintain computerized data containing personal information to provide notice following a breach of the security of the system. For school districts, this matters because student and staff data often includes identifiers that can trigger notification obligations if compromised.

Even when a vendor hosts the system, districts should ensure incident response, notification coordination, and security expectations are clear and operational.

Applicability and Scope

This is most relevant when:

• A district maintains or uses computerized systems containing personal information (student/staff identifiers and credentials)
• Student data is stored or processed in vendor-hosted platforms (SIS, learning platforms, assessment tools)
• A security incident may require investigation, containment, and notification under state law

Vendor Governance and Incident Readiness

While Pennsylvania's breach statute is not framed as an edtech-operator statute, districts should treat vendor contracts as the primary way to ensure compliance in practice. Districts should confirm vendors support:

• Prompt incident reporting to the district
• Investigation support and evidence preservation
• Clear responsibility for drafting and sending notices (and who pays)
• Security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of student and staff data

How Can EdPrivacy Help Pennsylvania Schools

Districts benefit from a system that tracks which vendors host personal information and what incident response terms apply. EdPrivacy helps districts centralize vendor approvals and documentation so breach readiness does not rely on scattered contract files.

The platform helps districts:

• Maintain an inventory of tools/vendors that store or process personal information
• Store contracts/DPAs and incident response requirements in one place
• Document security expectations and renewal/review dates
• Improve response speed by keeping key vendor contacts and artifacts organized

Summary

Pennsylvania districts should be prepared to:

• Maintain a breach response plan aligned to state notification requirements
• Ensure vendors promptly notify and coordinate with the district after an incident
• Verify reasonable security safeguards for systems holding student and staff data
• Document vendor responsibilities so response and notification is not improvised

Pennsylvania's Breach of Personal Information Notification Act supports a security-and-incident-readiness approach to protecting student data in modern, vendor-hosted environments.