Schools make a choice: use commercial software to manage learning, communication, and grades. Parents don't really get a say in that choice. But you absolutely have the right to understand what happens to your child's data in those systems. So let's be specific.
I've reviewed the privacy practices and data collection policies for the four most common school apps in K-12. The picture is mixed. Some are thoughtful about student data. Others treat children like data points for ad targeting. Here's what you need to know about each one.
Google Classroom
What Google Collects
From students: Content (essays, submissions, comments), search queries, IP addresses, device info, interaction patterns, and browsing behavior across Google services.
From parents: Email address, login activity, account recovery information, and communication records.
The nuance: Google Classroom itself is privacy-conscious by design. Google doesn't sell student data to advertisers—that's actually compliant with FERPA. But here's the catch: if students use personal Google accounts instead of school-provided accounts, different rules apply. Personal Gmail accounts are monetized. A 12-year-old using their own Gmail for Classroom is generating behavioral data that informs ad targeting.
Parent action: Ensure your school uses Google Workspace for Education (managed accounts), not personal Google accounts. Then verify that your student is logging in with the school account. If you see a personal Gmail being used, escalate this to the school IT department.
Seesaw
What Seesaw Collects
From students: Portfolio content (photos, videos, writing samples), timestamps, device type, IP addresses, and learning activity data. Seesaw positions itself as a digital learning portfolio, so it tracks what students create, submit, and when.
From families: Email, name, phone number, and all communication metadata when parents respond or comment on student work.
The nuance: Seesaw publishes a clear privacy policy, and they don't sell student data to advertisers. The company is transparent about being ad-free. The risk is more subtle: Seesaw retains detailed records of student learning. If the company is ever acquired or changes business model, that data is an asset. Also, any family member invited to Seesaw becomes a user—your data footprint extends to grandparents, aunts, uncles who get access.
Parent action: Review your Seesaw privacy settings. Control who can see your child's portfolio. Be mindful of who you invite to have access. If you're concerned about data retention, you have the right to request deletion of your child's portfolio after the school year ends.
ClassDojo
What ClassDojo Collects
From students: Behavioral data (what actions earned points or lost them), attendance, participation patterns, photos, messages, and learning activity logs.
From parents: Name, email, phone number, communication records, and read receipts on messages from teachers.
The nuance: ClassDojo's core function is behavioral tracking—the app gamifies classroom behavior by awarding or deducting points. That means ClassDojo is building detailed behavior profiles on every child: who participates, who stays quiet, who gets in trouble, who shows leadership. The company says it doesn't sell data to advertisers, and the privacy policy says it doesn't. But it does use behavioral data for product improvement and research—which is a softer form of monetization. They're learning about behavior patterns in ways that could inform future products or services.
Parent action: Ask your teacher if ClassDojo is required or optional. If optional, consider whether the behavior tracking serves your child or just the school's convenience. If required, opt out of any optional data features, and request deletion of your child's behavior history when the year ends.
PowerSchool
What PowerSchool Collects
From students: Grades, test scores, assignment submissions, attendance, discipline records, health information, emergency contacts, and academic history across years.
From parents: Full name, phone number, email, login history, and communication records with school staff.
The nuance: PowerSchool is more of a school management system than an app you download—it's the backend database. The company has had data security incidents in the past. More importantly, PowerSchool aggregates the most sensitive data schools hold: academic performance, health records, and discipline history. This is permanent record material. The risk isn't just privacy—it's data security. PowerSchool holds records that, if breached, could harm your child's future opportunities.
Parent action: Make sure your school has recent security certifications for PowerSchool. Ask about encryption. Review what information is truly necessary in the system—some schools store data they don't need to. Request deletion of old records when appropriate. If there's inaccurate information (a discipline record that was resolved, outdated health data), correct it.
What strikes me most: schools didn't choose these systems because they're the most privacy-protective options. They chose them because they're most convenient and affordable. That's a perfectly reasonable business decision. It just means families have to be the guard rail for privacy.
What You Can Actually Do
You can't opt out of school apps entirely—they're infrastructure now. But you have more leverage than you realize:
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- Read the privacy policies. You have the right to know. Schools are required to provide them. If they can't readily share it, that's a red flag.
- Limit sharing. Disable any optional data sharing settings. Many schools enable "research purposes" sharing by default—disable that.
- Ask questions at back-to-school meetings. Teachers and administrators should be able to explain what data is collected and why. If they can't, that's telling.
- Request deletion when your child moves to middle school, high school, or graduates. Schools often retain data longer than legally required.
- Use school accounts, not personal accounts. This matters most for Gmail. School-managed accounts have different privacy rules.
- Watch for creep. Apps that start with one purpose (assignment submission) often expand to collect more (behavior tracking, attendance, detailed analytics). Notice when that happens and push back if it's excessive.
The broader point: school data isn't as invisible as most parents assume. These companies know your child's grades, strengths, struggles, and patterns of thinking. That's valuable information. The question isn't whether they collect it—they do. The question is whether they're thoughtful stewards of it. And whether your school has meaningfully evaluated their stewardship before signing the contract.
Want a Clearer Picture?
If you're uncertain what data your school is collecting or want a privacy review of the specific apps your children use, we can help you navigate the policies and make informed decisions.
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