EPISD’s new app has parents and teachers concerned about privacy

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- El Paso Independent School District has launched a new app to improve communications between parents and teachers. El Paso ISD in partnership with Apptegy, an EdTech vendor that provides software products, including its Rooms platform which allows parents to communicate with teachers.

However, some parents and teachers say the app displays incorrect information and it concerns them. One parent, Mindy Sutton says when she logs into the app it shows a man she doesn't know listed as her daughter's guardian.

Sutton says once she noticed the error she reached out to her daughter's teacher to have the man's name removed but according to Sutton the teacher was unable to assist because she had not been trained on the app.

Sutton isn't alone, teachers also say they are listed as guardians on other students profiles. One teacher commented on a Facebook post saying she could see information a teacher from another school was posting as well as direct messages from parents addressed to that teacher.

I reached out to EPISD and they responded with the following statement

To develop this app, El Paso ISD has partnered with Apptegy, an EdTech vendor that provides software products and solutions, including its Rooms platform, to approximately 4500 K-12 school district customers in the US. 

Part of perfecting any application is improving issues that arise during deployment and implementation. EPISD experts and our Apptegy partners have taken the appropriate steps to address a visibility issue for registered users involving duplicated numbers. It is important to emphasize that no sensitive or private information was shared due to this issue; the privacy and security of our students’ information is our top priority.  

El Paso ISD’s new app streamlines and enhances communication between teachers and parents by providing a single, centralized platform for all messages, and it also improves information security allowing for greater oversight. The application can be centrally managed and monitored, ensuring a higher level of student safety. This capability is crucial in our ongoing efforts to protect our students and provide a secure environment for their educational journey. 

EPISD will continue to monitor and improve the app and offer support to users as adoption grows. We believe this application will be a game changer in making communication easier, more effective, and safer for everyone involved. EPISD has already received positive reports from parents and educators.

EPISD spokesperson

Norma De La Rosa, President El Paso Teachers association says among the teachers she spoke with they didn't have an issue with incorrect information on students profile. However, De La Rosa said she did notice missing information on the EPISD website. She says she reached out to the central office to notify them of the missing information and they said they will look into it.