Unauthorized App Shake-Up: Seattle Public Schools Confronts a Rising EdTech Star
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) issued an urgent communication to families and staff on Monday evening regarding an unauthorized grade-viewing application for iOS devices. The app, titled “The Source: SPS,” bore a striking resemblance to the district’s official portal and was using SPS branding without permission.
In their message, the district emphasized the importance of removing the app immediately, stating that the developers were inappropriately utilizing the SPS name and logo. They assured the community that the app did not have access to sensitive information such as login credentials or grades, which are stored locally on users’ devices. The district also mentioned that the app came with a $7.99 download fee.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the app had actually been developed by Evan Mazor, a recent graduate of Roosevelt High School and current computer science student at Lehigh University. Mazor had created and offered the app for free over the past three years.
The situation took an unexpected turn when it was discovered that the app had been acquired by a company called GradePro in September. GradePro had been in the process of transitioning users from “The Source: SPS” to their own application, which offers various
subscription plans, including a $7.99 yearly option.
Mazor had publicly announced the acquisition on LinkedIn just last week, describing it as a significant achievement after years of dedicated work on the app. He highlighted the app’s success, boasting over 17,000 monthly active users and more than 30,000 total downloads. The app had garnered a 4.5-star rating on the App Store with over 550 five-star reviews.
The application was designed to provide an intuitive mobile interface for what Mazor described as an outdated gradebook system used by Seattle Public Schools. It offered features such as a GPA calculator, attendance data, and ‘what-if’ score sliders, which were not available through the district’s official platform.
Mazor expressed pride in his creation, noting that he had received feedback from students indicating that the app had helped them improve their academic performance and organization.
In response to the district’s communication and subsequent inquiries, GradePro removed “The Source: SPS” from the App Store on Tuesday morning. Wes Cossick, a representative from GradePro, clarified that the intention had always been to transition users to the GradePro app and discontinue “The Source: SPS” afterward.
Cossick stated, “It was a popular app used for years by students and parents in Seattle Public Schools, and we’re excited to bring these users even more features and reliability going forward.” He also confirmed that the migration of users to GradePro had been completed the previous week, which led to the app’s removal from the App Store.
The incident highlights the complex intersection of student-driven innovation, district policies, and commercial interests in educational technology. It also underscores the challenges school districts face in managing and controlling access to student information in an increasingly digital educational landscape.
As of the time of reporting, Seattle Public Schools had not provided additional comments on the situation. The district’s response to this unauthorized app serves as a reminder of the importance of data privacy and the need for clear communication channels between educational institutions and their communities regarding technology use and approval processes.
