PowerSchool Naviance Settlement: $17.25M, File by July 27
At a glance
- Status
- Closing soon
- Defendant
- PowerSchool Holdings LLC / Hobsons, Inc. / Heap Inc. / Chicago Board of Education
- Settlement fund
- $17,250,000
- Claim deadline
- July 27, 2026
- No-proof cash option
- No
- Estimated payout
- Pro rata share of the $17.25M fund
- Administrator
- Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
- Official site
- powerschoolnaviancesettlement.com
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- Case number
- 1:23-cv-05689, No. 1:23-cv-05689
Last verified July 16, 2026
Key dates
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Claim deadline | July 27, 2026 | Last day to file for a payment |
| Opt-out (exclusion) deadline | July 13, 2026(passed) | Last day to leave the settlement and keep the right to sue |
| Objection deadline | July 13, 2026(passed) | Last day to object to the terms |
| Final approval hearing | August 19, 2026 | When the judge decides whether to approve the settlement |
| Expected payout | Not yet scheduled | Payments are not sent until after final approval and any appeals |
Where to file
PowerSchool Naviance Student Privacy Settlement is administered by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC. The only place to file is the official settlement website:
File at the official sitepowerschoolnaviancesettlement.com
Filing is free. No legitimate settlement charges a fee to file a claim.
You cannot file on RecordingLaw.com. We are an independent publisher, not the settlement administrator, and we are not affiliated with any court, agency, or defendant.
PowerSchool Holdings, the education-technology company behind the widely used Naviance college-and-career-planning platform, has agreed to pay $17.25 million to settle a lawsuit over how that platform tracked students. The claim window is open now and closes July 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central time.
If you are searching for a "PowerSchool settlement," read this first. There are two separate PowerSchool legal matters right now, and this page covers only one of them.
What happened with Naviance
Naviance is the online platform widely used by U.S. high school students, often at their school's direction, to research colleges, track applications, and plan careers. It was originally built by Hobsons, Inc., which PowerSchool later acquired.
A lawsuit filed in 2023, Q.J. v. PowerSchool Holdings LLC, alleged that PowerSchool, Hobsons, and a third-party analytics company called Heap, Inc. embedded tracking code on Naviance that captured students' activity without adequate consent. The official settlement administrator describes the claims as the "non-consensual interception of students' confidential and sensitive communications," in plain terms, secretly monitoring how students used a school-assigned tool, the kind of claim RecordingLaw.com covers under wiretapping and eavesdropping law. The Chicago Board of Education is also named as a defendant, reflecting Naviance use in Chicago Public Schools.
The proposed class covers a broad window: anyone who, while a student, logged into Naviance at least once between August 18, 2021, and January 23, 2026. PowerSchool and the other defendants deny wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.
This is not the 2024 PowerSchool data breach
This is the part most searchers miss. In December 2024, PowerSchool separately suffered a cybersecurity breach of its student information system, exposing student and educator personal information nationwide. Those lawsuits were consolidated into multidistrict litigation now before a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. As of mid-2026, that case remains in active litigation, with only partial rulings on motions to dismiss in March 2026, and there is no settlement or claim form for it.
The Naviance settlement here is a different, earlier case, filed in 2023, about how the platform tracked student activity, not the 2024 hack. If a site or email asks you to "claim" money for the 2024 breach, that claims process does not exist yet. As of July 2026, this Naviance settlement is the only PowerSchool-related matter you can actually file a claim for.
Where the case stands right now
As of July 2026, the Naviance settlement has preliminary court approval and is in its claims period. The deadline to exclude yourself from the class or object to its terms was July 13, 2026, and that date has already passed.
The claim deadline, July 27, 2026, is still open. The final approval hearing, where a judge decides whether to formally approve the deal, is set for August 19, 2026, in Chicago, after the claim deadline. That timing is normal, but it means you should not wait for the hearing before filing. File by July 27 regardless of what happens in August; waiting risks missing the deadline for nothing.
Who is in the settlement class
You are potentially a class member if this describes you: you were a student, at any grade level, and you logged into Naviance, offered first by Hobsons and later by PowerSchool, at least once between August 18, 2021, and January 23, 2026. That is the entire test in the class definition; it does not matter which state or school district you were in.
That window means many now-adults qualify. If you researched colleges on Naviance as a high schooler in 2022, you are potentially a class member even if you are now out of school. Parents and guardians of a current student should check the official settlement site for how to file on that student's behalf, since many class members here are minors.
How much you can realistically expect
Do not expect a specific dollar figure from this page, because none exists yet, by design. Every valid claimant receives a pro rata share of the $17.25 million fund, meaning the fund is divided among everyone who files, so your payment depends on how many other people file, not on a fixed price list.
That is a real structural difference from many breach settlements. There is no flat no-proof cash amount and no separate documented-loss tier here. There is one path: file a valid claim, and your share is calculated once the window closes and the total number of valid claims is known. More claims filed means a smaller individual payment; fewer claims means a larger one. Nobody can tell you your exact payment before that math is done.
What you need to file a claim
Filing happens at the official settlement website, run by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC. File online, the fastest method, or mail a paper claim form postmarked by the July 27, 2026 deadline. Filing costs nothing.
Unlike settlements built around receipts or proof of loss, this one centers on a single Claim Form confirming you were a class member who logged into Naviance during the covered window. Have your basic identifying information ready, and check the official FAQ page if any part of the form is unclear.
Protecting a child's information beyond this settlement
This case is about tracking, not a hack that exposed Social Security numbers, so it does not call for the same identity-theft response as a financial-data breach. Still, if your child used Naviance, a few basic, free steps are worth taking.
A credit freeze blocks anyone from opening new credit in your child's name. By federal law, parents and guardians of children under 16 can request one for free at all three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, typically by showing proof like a birth certificate. It is one of the few identity-theft protections built specifically for minors, whose Social Security numbers are attractive to fraudsters precisely because nobody checks a child's credit for years. See our guide to freezing your credit after a data breach for the bureau-by-bureau steps.
If you ever suspect actual misuse of your or your child's information, whether tied to this case or something else, IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government's free recovery site and a safe place to start, not a paid monitoring service.
A Credit Freeze Is Free. Family Monitoring Is a Different Layer.
A freeze at all three bureaus is the strongest, free defense against someone opening new credit in a child's name. Aura adds ongoing monitoring for both kids and adults, including alerts if a Social Security number turns up somewhere it should not. Worth a look once the free basics are in place.
See Aura's Family PlansAffiliate disclosure: if you sign up through this link we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
We are tracking this case
If the court denies final approval, if the payout becomes clearer after the August 19, 2026 hearing, or if the separate 2024 PowerSchool breach litigation produces its own settlement, we will update this page and our data breach settlement tracker. As of July 2026, this Naviance case is the only PowerSchool-related settlement you can file a claim for, and the deadline is July 27, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PowerSchool Naviance Student Privacy Settlement?
It is a $17.25 million settlement resolving a lawsuit, Q.J. v. PowerSchool Holdings LLC, that alleged PowerSchool, Hobsons, Heap Inc., and the Chicago Board of Education tracked and intercepted students' activity on the Naviance college-and-career-planning platform without adequate consent. The defendants deny wrongdoing but agreed to settle, and the claim deadline is July 27, 2026.
Is this the same as the 2024 PowerSchool data breach?
No. This Naviance settlement comes from a case filed in 2023 about tracking on the Naviance platform. The separate December 2024 PowerSchool student information system breach, which exposed records for tens of millions of students and educators, is still in litigation as of mid-2026 and has no settlement or claim form of its own.
Am I eligible to file a claim in the PowerSchool Naviance settlement?
You may be eligible if, while a student, you logged into the Naviance platform at least once between August 18, 2021, and January 23, 2026. That is the entire test in the class definition, regardless of your state or school district.
How much money will I actually get from the PowerSchool Naviance settlement?
There is no fixed amount. Every valid claimant receives a pro rata share of the $17.25 million fund, meaning the fund is divided among everyone who files, so your payment depends on how many other people file a valid claim by the July 27, 2026 deadline.
What proof do I need to file a claim?
The official Claim Form itself, confirming you were a class member who logged into Naviance during the covered window, is the core requirement; the settlement does not publicly describe separate documentation tiers the way some breach settlements do. Check the official FAQ page for current form requirements.
What is the deadline, and should I wait for the August 19 hearing to file?
No. The claim deadline is July 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central time, which comes before the August 19, 2026 final approval hearing. File by July 27 regardless of the hearing date, since waiting for the hearing risks missing the claim window entirely.
I used Naviance years ago in high school and I am an adult now. Can I still claim?
Yes. As long as you logged into Naviance as a student at least once between August 18, 2021, and January 23, 2026, your current age or school status does not disqualify you from the PowerSchool Naviance settlement class.
What should I do to protect my child's information beyond filing a claim?
As of July 2026, a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is available to parents and guardians of children under 16 and is one of the strongest protections against a minor's identity being misused. If you suspect actual misuse, IdentityTheft.gov is the federal government's free recovery resource.
How to tell a settlement notice is real
Check the case name, case number, and court against the official settlement site. Go to that site directly instead of clicking a link in an email or text. Nobody legitimate will call, text, or email out of the blue asking for your Social Security number, bank account, or card details, and nobody will charge you to file. Report anyone who does at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Informational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not affiliated with any settlement.
RecordingLaw.com is an independent legal-information publisher. We are not a law firm, not a settlement administrator, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any court, government agency, defendant, or claims administrator described on this page. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
We do not process claims and we never collect your claim information. You cannot file a claim on RecordingLaw.com. To file, opt out, object, or check your status, use only the official settlement administrator identified above. We link to it for your convenience.
Filing a legitimate claim is free. No legitimate settlement or administrator will charge you a fee to file, or ask for your Social Security number, bank, or card details by unsolicited call, text, or email. If someone does, it is likely a scam. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Deadlines, amounts, and approval status change and are set by the court. We verify against the official administrator and court records, but confirm the current details on the official site before acting. Nothing here guarantees eligibility, a payment, or any amount. Settlement payments may be taxable. See IRS Publication 4345. and consult a tax professional. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources and References
- Q.J. v. PowerSchool Holdings LLC, et al., Official Settlement Website (Kroll Settlement Administration)(powerschoolnaviancesettlement.com)
- Frequently Asked Questions, Q.J. v. PowerSchool Holdings LLC Settlement (official)(powerschoolnaviancesettlement.com)
- Q.J. v. PowerSchool Holdings LLC, Case No. 1:23-cv-05689 (N.D. Ill.), docket via CourtListener (Free Law Project, public court-record mirror)(courtlistener.com)
- In re: PowerSchool Holdings, Inc. and PowerSchool Group, LLC Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 3149, Transfer Order, U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation(jpml.uscourts.gov).gov
- How To Protect Your Child From Identity Theft, Consumer Advice, Federal Trade Commission(consumer.ftc.gov).gov
- Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts, Consumer Advice, Federal Trade Commission(consumer.ftc.gov).gov
- IdentityTheft.gov, Federal Trade Commission(identitytheft.gov).gov