Sweetwater Union High School District Data Breach Settlement

Individuals who received a notice in or around June 2023 that their personal or health information may have been compromised in a cyberattack involving Sweetwater Union High School District, may be eligible to submit a claim for up to $5,000 from a class action settlement. The settlement class consists of approximately 9,842 people.

Sweetwater Union High School District has agreed to pay to settle a class action lawsuit for allegedly failing to protect sensitive personal and health information. The class action was filed after a data breach occurred in February 2023, during which an unauthorized third party accessed files containing names, Social Security numbers, financial account details, health care information, and other sensitive data of current and former employees and students.

Who is eligible for a data breach settlement payout?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• They reside in the United States and had their private information compromised in the February 2023 data breach involving Sweetwater Union High School District.
• They received a notification letter from or on behalf of Sweetwater Union High School District on or around June 2023 regarding the cybersecurity incident.
• They are a current or former student or employee, or the parent or guardian of a student under the age of 18.

How much will the class action payment be?

Class members have the following benefit options:

• One year of free credit monitoring: All class members who submit a claim will receive one year of CyEx credit monitoring services.
• Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses: Class members may claim up to $5,000 for actual documented, unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses traceable to the data breach. Eligible expenses include late fees, overdraft fees, replacement card fees and credit monitoring costs incurred after February 2023.
• Lost time: Class members can claim up four hours, at $25 per hour, of time spent addressing issues related to the data breach, for a maximum of $100. Lost time payment amounts may be decreased pro rata, based on the total number of claims filed.
• Compensation for verified fraud: Class members who experienced verified and documented incidents of fraud related to the data breach can submit a claim to receive $250 per incident, up to a maximum of $5,000. This may include fraudulent tax filings or government benefits such as unemployment and bank account or credit cards opened in class member's name, Verified fraud claims are included the $5,000 out-of-pocket expenses cap.

How to claim a class action rebate

To receive a settlement payment, current and former SUHSD students and employees must submit a claim. Class members can complete the online claim form or print and mail the PDF claim form to the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Sweetwater Data Incident Settlement c/o Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 25226 Santa Ana, CA 92799

The claim deadline is Jan. 26, 2026.

Required proof and claim information

• Unqiue ID and PIN required to submit a claim online or by mail.
• Out-of-pocket expenses claims require documentation, which may include receipts, account statements, or correspondence with third-party companies.
• Verified fraud claims require documentation, which may include bank statements, IRS letters, police report and other proof of identity theft or fraud.
• Parent or guardian submitting on behalf of a student must include their name and relationship to the student.

Class member payout options

Class members submitting a claim can select from these payment options:

• PayPal
• Venmo
• Zelle
• Paper check mailed to the address provided

Data breach settlement fund breakdown:

The settlement fund will include:

• Settlement administration costs: To be determined
• Attorneys’ fees and expenses: Not to exceed $190,000
• Service awards to class representatives: $10,000 total
• Credit monitoring: Cost determined by the number of claims filed
• Lost time claims: Total determined by the number of claims filed, not to exceed $62,500
• Remaining claim payments to eligible class members: Total determined by number of claims filed

Important dates

• Opt out deadline: Dec. 12, 2025
• Deadline to file a claim: Jan. 26, 2026
• Final approval hearing: April 3, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

When is the Sweetwater Union High School District data breach settlement payout date?

Payments will be issued to approved claimants approximately 95 days after the court grants final approval of the settlement.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged that Sweetwater Union High School District failed to adequately protect personal and health information, resulting in a data breach in February 2023. Plaintiffs claimed this led to exposure of sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and health information.

The school district denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the uncertainty and expense of ongoing litigation.

Sources

1. Official settlement notice
2. Official settlement website FAQ
3. Official claim form