Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)…

The Student Online Personal Protection Act (105 ILCS 85/), or SOPPA, is a State law that is intended to protect the privacy and security of students’ online data at school. When SOPPA was originally enacted, it regulated how educational technology vendors handle student data. In 2019, the law was significantly amended by Public Act 101-516 to also regulate how schools and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) manage student data, in addition to vendors.

While we have always made and will continue to make every effort to protect the privacy of our students, SOPPA requires us to implement additional safeguards, including a more rigorous vetting process of digital solutions that capture students’ personal information.