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Colonial Heights Privacy Breach

On April 29, 2026, Colonial Heights Public Schools sent an email to individuals in which 110 email addresses and 40 display names were visible to all recipients.

This disclosure raises serious concerns about the handling of personally identifiable information provided to the division for home instruction compliance.

Following parent reports, HEAV promptly notified the division and requested an immediate investigation. HEAV also encouraged a review of internal communication practices to ensure compliance with state privacy protections.

The superintendent responded to HEAV’s inquiry, stating that the inclusion of email addresses and display names in a visible field was inadvertent. The division disagreed that the communication constituted a violation of the statute; however, it acknowledged the error and advised that the matter has been addressed.

While HEAV maintains its concerns regarding the statutory privacy requirements and the public exposure of email addresses and display names, we appreciate the division’s prompt response and its acknowledgment of the error in handling recipient information.

What’s Next?

HEAV encourages parents who received this communication to retain copies of the email for their records.

If you have questions or concerns, please call the HEAV office at 804-278-9200 or email support@heav.org.

Families who wish to obtain legal guidance regarding their rights under Virginia’s home instruction privacy law may contact the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

Virginia’s Homeschool Privacy Law

The homeschool privacy law, § 22.1-254.1(G), states:
“No division superintendent or local school board shall disclose to the Department or any other person or entity outside of the local school division information that is provided by a parent or student to satisfy the requirements of this section or subdivision B 1 of § 22.1-254 [religious exemption]. However, a division superintendent or local school board may disclose, with the written consent of a student’s parent, such information to the extent provided by the parent’s consent.”

As expressed in our 2025 Homeschool Privacy Concerns letter, shared with superintendents and school board chairs statewide, homeschool families rely on state privacy protections to ensure their personal information is properly safeguarded. Because home instruction and religious exemption are administered at the local level, it is the responsibility of school divisions to ensure that all communications and handling of parent-submitted information fully comply with applicable privacy law.