Highline Public Schools Reopens after Cyberattack: A Growing Concern for School Districts

Highline Public Schools, a district serving over 17,500 students just south of Seattle, has announced the re-opening of classes after a recent cyberattack. The announcement comes as a relief to families and staff who were affected by the unexpected disruption.

According to the district's statement, released on Tuesday, the schools will reopen K-12 on September 12, preschool on September 16, with athletics resuming on the same day. While the specific details of the cyberattack remain scarce, it is clear that student safety was the top priority for the district.

A Growing Concern for School Districts

The Highline Public Schools cyberattack is far from an isolated incident. In recent years, there has been a surge in cyberattacks on school districts across the United States. The frequency and severity of these incidents have left educators and cybersecurity experts scrambling to understand the scope of the problem.

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, cyber incidents in K-12 schools are so frequent that there is more than one incident per school day on average. This staggering statistic paints a troubling picture of the security landscape within educational institutions.

Schools often maintain databases that store sensitive information, including student and staff social security numbers, addresses, and financial records. These data breaches can have devastating consequences, both financially and in terms of trust.