Meta expands Instagram School Partnership Program in the U.S

Meta has expanded its Instagram School Partnership Program in the United States, adding new communication and safety features for nearly 17,000 participating schools. Developed in collaboration with educational organizations ISTE and ASCD, the program allows verified schools to use Channels for official announcements, as well as School Stories and Notes to reach verified students.

Students can access a directory of school clubs and teams, while administrators maintain control over school-related accounts. To ensure authenticity, students must be verified through the third-party service UNiDAYS. Meta noted that these tools are intended for use outside of classroom hours. Additionally, the program provides schools with a centralized hub for managing accounts and grants prioritized moderation reviews for safety reports filed by partner institutions.

The expansion follows significant regulatory and legal pressure regarding teen mental health and platform addiction. This includes a recent settlement where Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion over ten years to resolve claims from 52 U.S. attorneys general regarding the addictive design of its platforms.