Canvas security breach concerns raised at board of education meeting

PERRY — The April 29 security breach on Canvas, a web-based digital learning platform from Instructure, affected Houston County schools. 

This hack is considered the largest educational security breach to date, affecting over 8,800 schools and institutions. According to Instructure, students use Canvas for their assignments, quizzes, discussions and to see their overall course material.  

Lauren Schultz spoke to the Board of Education on transparency of the technology Houston County students are using. 

“The release stated that our student data such as ‘student passwords, date of birth social security numbers and financial information’ were thankfully not involved,” Schultz said. 

The release also said that students’ names, school email addresses, classroom assignments and messages within the software may have been involved in the attack. 

She questioned if personal information had been compromised and if Canvas had access to it. She ultimately found out Canvas had access to her child’s date of birth. 

“What other EdTech programs used by Houston County had access to my child’s personal information such as her date of birth and social security number?,” she said. “I am still waiting for that response.” 

Schultz was not the only one concerned about the cyber attack, as multiple lawsuits have been filed in Utah, the headquarters of Instructure. 

Schultz referenced the Parents’ Bill of Rights found in the district’s policy, which states that the Board of Education encourages parental involvement in schools. She said the parents have the right to learn about their child’s courses, including having access to the material they use in the classroom. 

“This has not been my experience at the district level, especially in the light that I was encouraged not to speak,” she said. “It has been like pulling teeth to gain access to my child’s course of study and the materials that are electronic and sourced through Edtech programs.”

Schultz shared that her questions of what products her fourth-grade daughter uses and what info those programs have have still been left unanswered. She said if the district had textbooks, she wouldn’t have to ask those questions. 

“As parents, there are too many unknowns that we can’t protect our children against, but the school system should not add to those unknowns through lack of transparency,” she said. “Let us know what programs our children are using on a daily basis.” 

Along with the concerns about cyber attacks, the Board of Education also had its first public hearing on Tuesday on the tentative FY27 budget. The General Fund revenue is tentatively $481,395,444, expenditures of $476,258,308, and a fund balance of $80,465,970. 

District Chief Financial Officer, Michelle Morris spoke in favor of the budget. Morris said it will contain no change in the millage rate and the local option sales tax is a known and fixed amount. 

“We are also excited to say that [expenditures] include a 2% cost of living increase for all applicable employees,” she said. “In addition to that, a $1,000 supplement to be paid in November 2026 for all eligible employees.” 

Morris said beginning teachers are paid 20.4% higher than the Georgia State Salary Scale, as well as up to 32% higher for more experienced and certified employees. 

The total revenue for FY26 will tentatively be $622,189,863, expenditures of $654,535,882 and an end-of-year total fund balance of $149,795,366. 

The next public hearing on the FY27 budget will be held on June 23. 

The Board tentatively approved both the FY27 budget and millage rate, 11.719 mills. 

The next Houston County Board of Education meeting will be held Tuesday, June 2, at 1 p.m., located at the Board Office in Perry. 

The agenda can be found at simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=4089&MID=136290