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.
Prodigy uses game-based learning to teach math, with a newer English/ELA component.
Visit ProdigyKhan Academy Kids offers free, comprehensive early learning content covering reading, math, and more for children ages 2-8.
Visit Khan Academy KidsIXL is a comprehensive adaptive learning platform covering all subjects from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Visit IXLBrainPOP uses animated videos to teach concepts across all subjects for K-8 students.
Visit BrainPOPNewsela adapts real news articles to 5 different reading levels, making current events accessible to students grades 2-12.
Visit NewselaKahoot! 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.
Visit Kahoot!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.
Visit DreamBoxEpic! provides access to a library of 40,000+ children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos. $84.99/year or $13.99/month.
Visit Epic!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.
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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.