The College Board has received a class action settlement for selling student information in a deceptive manner. Read further.
About College Board
The College Board oversees several important tests for high school students, including the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, PSAT 8/9, and AP exams.
Lawsuit against College Board
In the lawsuit, The College Board tricks students into giving their personal information by saying it will help counselors plan their future and improve their chances for college acceptance and financial aid.
After reportedly tricking students into giving their personal information to the Student Search Service, the College Board sells it for $0.42 to $0.47 per student. This information includes names, birthdates, addresses, email addresses, GPA, gender, ethnicity, citizenship status, and more.
In addition, class action says “By obtaining and selling students’ data under false pretenses, defendant College Board has diminished the value of students’ data”.
Has College Board Admitted To The Accusation?
The College Board has reportedly confessed to this scheme. At an Illinois Senate hearing in May 2019, a representative from the testing authority revealed the data selling scam. The representative reportedly admitted that the College Board sold student information for $0.45 per name.
College Board Defended Their Student Search Service
The association reportedly said that the program “helps launch a student’s future” and that students are able to opt out of the program at any time. According to College Board, “We work with our partners across Illinois to protect student privacy and to ensure that students are connected to information on post-secondary options and scholarship opportunities that can help reduce the cost of college,” the association said in response to the College Board class action lawsuit.
“We stand ready to work with leaders in Illinois to share how we protect student data and how we use data to connect students to college and scholarship opportunities.”
College Board Class Action Last Year
The College Board has faced criticism for its testing practices before. Last year, it was sued in a class action lawsuit after reports revealed that test answers were leaked online before the exams.
Plaintiffs Representing This Class Action
Michael Kanovitz and Scott Drury of Loevy & Loevy.
Case Name
Mark S. v. College Board, Case No. 1:19-cv-08068, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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