Dear IUSD Families,
This evening, the California Department of Education (CDE) informed all California school districts of a data security breach involving the state’s vendor, Educational Testing Service (ETS). ETS is a third-party contractor that administers California's statewide assessments.
We would like to reassure our families that this incident did not involve a breach of IUSD's systems. While we are still learning more about this situation, we felt it was important to ensure our families are informed and know where to find accurate information and support.
About the Breach
According to the California Department of Education (CDE), on September 25, 2026, ETS identified unauthorized access to and copying of student information from an ETS-operated file transfer system. The incident involved information about California students, including students enrolled during the previous three school years.
According to CDE, 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, account passwords, or parent or guardian personal information. Please also note that California school districts do not track or maintain records regarding immigration status.
Notification and Identity Protection Services
Beginning today, October 16, ETS will notify affected current and former students and families directly. ETS is also offering two years of complimentary identity-protection services through Experian IdentityWorks to affected individuals. Information about these services and enrollment instructions will be included in the official Notice of Data Breach.
Where Families Can Find More Information
- For incident updates and frequently asked questions, visit cde.ca.gov/ets
- Official Notice of Data Breach: cde.ca.gov/ets-notice (available in 27 languages)
- Questions about the incident: SecurityIncident@cde.ca.gov
Protect Your Information: Be Aware of Scams
Families are encouraged to remain alert to potential misuse of student information and be cautious of unexpected emails, text messages or phone calls referencing their student's school, statewide assessments or this incident. Do not share personal, financial or account information in response to unsolicited requests. Visit IUSD’s Help Center to learn more about phishing and tips to avoid these scams.
We understand that news of a data security incident can be concerning. Although this incident involved CDE’s third-party vendor and not IUSD's systems, we believe it is important to keep our community informed and ensure families can access available resources.
We encourage families to review the official notice and visit the CDE website for the latest information.
Sincerely,
Brianne Ford
Assistant Superintendent of Information Technology
Irvine Unified School District
