California Parents Sue i-Ready Maker Over Student Data in $20 Million LAUSD Deal
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 11
California Parents Sue i-Ready Maker Over Student Data in $20 Million LAUSD Deal
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 11
Summary
Two California parents sued Curriculum Associates, alleging i-Ready collected children’s data and shared it with third parties for commercial use without the clear parental consent required under federal privacy rules.
The complaint says the program gathers race, gender, disability status, lunch eligibility, IP addresses, school names, answers and time spent per question, and seeks damages for unjust enrichment from that data collection.
Curriculum Associates, which says it earns more than $750 million annually, denied wrongdoing and said schools and districts receive disclosures about its practices and obtain consent on the company’s behalf.
LAUSD has used i-Ready under a $20 million contract since 2023, while parents, teachers and students increasingly question both its privacy practices and classroom value, citing screen time, missed class and poor fit for some learners.
The suit lands amid a broader backlash against the $187 billion edtech industry as LAUSD reviews tech policies and plans limits on student screen time next school year.
Why are school districts banning screens after investing billions in classroom technology?
Is your child’s schoolwork secretly fueling a billion-dollar data market?
Schools spend billions on learning apps, but does the science say they actually work?
Student Data at Risk? The i-Ready Lawsuit and LAUSD’s Landmark Response to EdTech Privacy Concerns
Overview
A federal class-action lawsuit was filed by California parents against Curriculum Associates, the maker of i-Ready, alleging that the company unlawfully collected and shared sensitive student data—including personal details, demographics, and assessment responses—without proper parental consent. The lawsuit claims this data collection enables i-Ready to build detailed behavioral profiles of students and share information with third-party vendors, possibly for commercial use. Curriculum Associates denies these allegations, stating that all data is collected for educational purposes with consent obtained through schools under FERPA. This dispute has prompted school districts like LAUSD to reconsider technology policies and prioritize student data privacy.