Sweetwater Union High School District Data Breach Settlement

Individuals who received a notice in or around June 2023 stating a cyberattack involving Sweetwater Union High School District may have compromised their personal or health information could be eligible to submit a claim for up to $5,100 from a class action settlement. The settlement class consists of approximately 9,842 people.

Sweetwater Union High School District agreed to pay to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to protect sensitive personal and health information. The lawsuit claimed a data breach that occurred in February 2023 allowed an unauthorized third party to access 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.
• The February 2023 data breach involving Sweetwater Union High School District compromised their private information.
• They received a notification letter from or on behalf of Sweetwater Union High School District regarding the cybersecurity incident on or around June 2023.
• They are a current or former student or employee of Sweetwater Union High School District or the parent or guardian of a student younger than age 18.

How much will the class action payment be?

Class members have the following benefit options:

• Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses: Class members may claim up to $5,000 for 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.
• 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.

• Lost time: Class members can claim up four hours at $25 per hour (maximum $100) for time spent addressing issues related to the data breach. The settlement administrator may decrease lost time payment amounts on a pro rata basis depending on the total number of valid claims filed.
• One year of free credit monitoring: All class members who submit a claim will receive one year of CyEx credit monitoring services.

How to claim a class action rebate

To receive a settlement payment, current and former SUHSD students and employees must submit a claim. They 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

• To submit a claim online or by mail, class members must provide the unique ID and PIN from their settlement notice.
• To submit an out-of-pocket expense claim, class members must provide documentation, which may include receipts, account statements or correspondence with third-party companies.
• To submit a verified fraud claim, class members must provide documentation, which may include bank statements, IRS letters, police reports 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 valid 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?

The settlement administrator will issue payments 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. The 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