Over 275,000 Data Privacy Agreements have been signed through the SDPC since 2016. Here are 8 education apps with verified SDPC agreements that schools can trust.
The Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) is the largest student data privacy initiative in the United States. Operated by the Access 4 Learning Community, it brings together schools, districts, state agencies, and edtech vendors to solve the practical challenge of student data privacy at scale.
At the heart of the SDPC is the National Data Privacy Agreement (NDPA) — a standardized contract template that sets clear expectations for how vendors handle student data. Version 2 of the NDPA was developed collaboratively by all 28 state alliances, covering both national baseline obligations and state-specific privacy requirements. When a vendor signs one alliance agreement, other districts in that state can subscribe to it without negotiating from scratch.
The numbers speak for themselves: since 2016, over 275,000 standard DPAs have been executed through the SDPC framework. The freely accessible SDPC Resource Registry at sdpc.a4l.org now hosts more than 130,000 signed agreements between over 12,000 schools and districts and more than 6,674 education application providers. The 28 state alliances collectively represent over 34 million students in approximately 10,000 districts.
For teachers and administrators, the SDPC registry is the fastest way to verify whether an app has a formal privacy agreement in place. We reviewed education apps in the SDPC ecosystem and selected 8 with strong privacy commitments, broad district adoption, and signed Data Privacy Agreements that schools can verify and subscribe to.
Khan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
IXL is a comprehensive adaptive learning platform covering all subjects from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Newsela adapts real news articles to 5 different reading levels, making current events accessible to students grades 2-12.
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform where teachers create live quizzes that students answer on their devices. Over 9 billion cumulative participants. Free basic plan, paid plans from $48/year.
DreamBox is an adaptive K–8 math program that provides rigorous and personalized instruction using interactive visuals and intelligent scaffolding. Widely used in schools and homes.
Epic! provides access to a library of 40,000+ children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos. $84.99/year or $13.99/month.
The SDPC is a collaborative initiative within the Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community that brings together schools, districts, state agencies, policymakers, and edtech vendors to create practical, implementable solutions for student data privacy. It operates through 28 state alliances representing over 34 million students in approximately 10,000 districts across the United States.
The SDPC National Data Privacy Agreement is a standardized contract template that sets common privacy expectations between schools and edtech vendors. Version 2 of the NDPA was developed by all 28 state alliances and introduces a national standardized privacy clause while allowing state-specific requirements. When a vendor signs one alliance agreement, other districts in that state can subscribe to it without negotiating a separate contract.
Since 2016, over 275,000 standard Data Privacy Agreements have been executed and subscribed to through the SDPC framework. The SDPC Resource Registry currently hosts more than 130,000 signed DPAs between over 12,000 schools and districts and more than 6,674 education application providers.
Schools can search the SDPC Resource Registry at sdpc.a4l.org, which is a searchable database of vendors who have signed statewide agreements. The registry can be filtered by state, vendor name, resource type, DPA status, grade level, and content area. Schools that join their state SDPC alliance gain full access to search and subscribe to existing agreements.
The SDPC currently operates 28 state alliances across the United States, including states like California, New York, Illinois, Texas, and many others. Each state alliance develops DPA terms that address both national baseline obligations and their specific state privacy laws. Schools can check the SDPC website to see if their state has an active alliance and how to join.
The SDPC Vendor Signatory Badge is a visual indicator that a vendor has signed a standard Data Privacy Agreement through one or more SDPC state alliances. Vendors earn the badge automatically through their normal contracting process with districts — there are no additional requirements beyond signing the DPA. Schools can look for this badge as a quick signal that a vendor has formal privacy commitments in place.
COPPA and FERPA are federal laws that set baseline privacy requirements. The SDPC builds on top of these laws by providing a standardized contract (the DPA) that makes compliance practical and verifiable. A signed SDPC DPA typically requires the vendor to comply with FERPA, applicable state privacy laws, and specific data handling practices — giving schools a single agreement that addresses multiple regulatory requirements.
SpellingJoy is committed to student data privacy and does not collect personal information from children without school or parental consent, serves no advertising, and does not share student data with third parties. Teachers maintain full control through the classroom dashboard. Schools interested in a formal DPA can contact us directly.
Prodigy Math stands out with the strongest combined privacy stack: iKeepSafe COPPA and FERPA certifications, a 92% Common Sense Privacy score, and active SDPC agreements. For districts that want one math tool they can approve with confidence, Prodigy is the safest bet.
If budget is the deciding factor, Khan Academy Kids is 100% free, nonprofit-backed, ad-free, and has signed DPAs through multiple SDPC state alliances. For leveled reading with current events, Newsela maintains active SDPC agreements across numerous states.
IXL and BrainPOP are strong choices for schools that need comprehensive K-8 or K-12 coverage with formal SDPC data privacy agreements in place. Both have extensive district adoption and signed DPAs that other schools in their state alliance can subscribe to.
The SDPC Resource Registry at sdpc.a4l.org is your starting point for verifying any vendor. Search by state, vendor name, or content area to check whether an app has a signed agreement before adding it to your classroom. If your state has an SDPC alliance, joining it gives your district access to subscribe to existing DPAs without negotiating individually.
Looking for a privacy-conscious spelling app? SpellingJoy is 100% free, does not collect personal information from children without consent, serves no advertising, and gives teachers full control through a classroom dashboard. Try SpellingJoy free today.
About the Author
SpellingJoy Team
The SpellingJoy team is dedicated to creating free, high-quality spelling resources for K-6 students and their families. We test every app we review and provide honest assessments to help parents make informed decisions.