SAU #13 Reduces Phishing Email Clicks by 52% in 4 Months with Tartan App

About SAU #13 - Freedom, Madison, and Tamworth School Districts

SAU #13 is a small school district in New Hampshire serving the communities of Tamworth, Freedom, and Madison. The district includes three elementary schools, educating roughly 350 students and supported by a dedicated staff of about 120. Luke Bergeron, the district's IT Director, is responsible for ensuring that SAU #13 leverages technology effectively and securely across all of the campuses.

Challenge: Limited Resources and Inconsistent Training

Like many small districts, SAU #13 faced two major challenges when it came to cybersecurity awareness:

1. Budget Constraints: With limited funds, the district found it difficult to afford cybersecurity training platforms typically designed for larger school systems or businesses.
2. Inconsistent Training: Staff awareness training was limited to an annual presentation, leaving long gaps throughout the year where cybersecurity wasn't top of mind.

"The constant threat of phishing felt like a ticking clock. It was stressful knowing that despite our technical safeguards, one wrong click could compromise sensitive student or employee data."

Solution: Continuous, Affordable, and Engaging Training

Tartan provided SAU #13 with an affordable, easy-to-implement cybersecurity awareness solution designed specifically for K–12 schools. The platform transformed training from a one-time event into a continuous learning process, helping staff stay alert to phishing attempts year-round. Luke describes Tartan as helping SAU #13 create a human firewall:

"The platform keeps our staff consistently aware of the latest phishing threats and provides immediate education on how to confidently identify and report them, effectively turning our staff into a human firewall."

Tartan's implementation process was quick and simple, a critical factor for SAU #13's small IT department. Beyond deployment, the district found Tartan's support team responsive, collaborative, and committed to ongoing improvement. Luke said:

"[Tartan's] support team has been outstanding even beyond the initial implementation. I particularly appreciate their responsiveness; they've genuinely collaborated with us, even working to implement feature requests that directly benefit our school environment."

Results: A More Vigilant and Secure District

Since adopting Tartan, SAU13 has seen measurable improvements in staff behavior and overall cybersecurity posture:

• Increased Awareness: Staff now proactively report suspicious emails rather than ignoring them.
• Reduced Click Rates: The district's simulated phishing click rates have decreased 52% in 4 months, a direct sign that training is working.
• Empowered Staff: Employees now see themselves as an essential line of defense against cyber threats.

"Most importantly, our overall click rate on simulated phishing emails has dropped since we started using the product. That reduction in successful clicks is the most direct indicator that the training is working and that we are a more secure district today than we were a year ago."

Why Tartan Stands Out

For SAU #13, Tartan's value lies in the combination of quality, affordability, and partnership:

• High-quality training content that's relevant and continuously updated
• Simple implementation and management ideal for small IT teams
• Affordable pricing that makes enterprise-grade training accessible to any district
• Responsive support that treats schools as partners, not customers

"Tartan offers a truly high-quality product with relevant training and constant improvements, all at an affordable price point that is accessible to smaller school districts like ours. That's a rare find. On top of that, their service is exceptional; they truly partner with you, which makes all the difference."

Advice for Other School Districts

"If you're a fellow IT Director struggling with inconsistent staff training, a tight budget, and that constant anxiety over phishing, you need to look into Tartan. It's more than just a tool; it's a true partner that provides an affordable, engaging, and continuous solution to what is arguably the biggest security vulnerability in any organization: your people."