Pittsburgh Schools End Paper Flyers, Charge Groups for Digital Access | The Locally Times
The district ends paper distribution, requiring community groups to pay a service fee to vendor Peachjar for digital-only family outreach.
Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) has eliminated paper flyer distribution from outside organizations, shifting to a digital-only system managed by the third-party vendor Peachjar. According to a February 18, 2026, announcement, the district cites environmental benefits and fiscal responsibility for the change, which ends the practice of sending paper materials home in student backpacks. Instead, approved flyers will be emailed to parents and posted online. The district’s Office of Public Relations and Media Content is responsible for reviewing all submissions. Public documents do not specify the projected cost savings from this transition or the previous annual costs associated with paper distribution. ## New Mandates and Fees for Community Groups Organizations seeking to reach PPS families must now use a multi-step digital process. The district’s announcement suggests the fee is usually lower than the expense of printing and delivering paper flyers, but provides no specific fee schedule or cost comparison data. The district reserves the right to refuse any flyer. Approval is generally limited to materials that serve a clear educational enrichment purpose, such as after-school and athletic programs. The policy prohibits flyers that function as a direct marketing pitch for professional services or merchandise. Approved flyers will be distributed only between August 15 and May 30 of each school year. Publicly available documents do not outline any provisions for non-profits or community groups that may be unable to pay the service fee. The district’s announcement does not address the financial impact of this new requirement on smaller, volunteer-run organizations that previously relied on free paper distribution. ## Digital Equity and Data Privacy Questions Remain The move by PPS reflects a broader regional trend of public institutions shifting communications from paper to digital platforms. A March 1, 2026, notice from Hopewell Township, for example, mandates that public entities must now publish legal notices on their websites rather than in newspapers. These shifts raise questions about digital equity and data privacy. As PPS implements its new digital system, other area school districts are publicly addressing online privacy. The PPS announcement regarding Peachjar does not contain information about the vendor’s data handling practices or how student and family information is protected. Furthermore, the district’s public statements do not specify what measures are in place to ensure families without reliable internet access can receive the information now distributed exclusively online. The PPS public calendar lists a Budget & Finance committee meeting for March 2, 2026, though the agenda for that meeting does not specify if the financial or operational details of the Peachjar system will be discussed.