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Alex Kane
Alex Kane

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n8n for EdTech SaaS: 5 Automations for Title IV, Section 508, and State Student Privacy Compliance (Free Workflow JSON)

#n8n #edtech #automation #security

If your EdTech SaaS platform sells to K-12 schools, universities, community colleges, or education agencies, your customers operate under a dense stack of federal and state compliance obligations — and as their software vendor, many of those obligations flow to you.

Title IV of the Higher Education Act, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, NY Education Law §2-d, SOPIPA, COPPA, FERPA, WCAG 2.1 AA — these aren't abstract regulations. They're the reason institutional procurement teams reject vendors at the final stage, why a single accessibility gap blocks a multi-year district contract, and why a student data breach triggers simultaneous FTC and state AG investigations.

This post covers 5 n8n automation workflows that EdTech SaaS engineering and compliance teams use to monitor integration health, track accessibility obligations, manage cross-jurisdiction deadlines, and respond to student data incidents — with full workflow JSON you can import directly into your n8n instance.

Why self-hosted n8n matters for EdTech SaaS vendors

EdTech SaaS companies face a problem that cloud automation tools create rather than solve:

  • FERPA: Routing student education records through Zapier or Make creates an unauthorized disclosure chain under 20 USC §1232g. Your institutional customer's FERPA program compliance depends on your vendor data handling.
  • COPPA: Student data for under-13 users processed through third-party cloud iPaaS may constitute an unlicensed data sharing arrangement under 16 CFR Part 312.
  • NY Education Law §2-d: Third-party contractors selling to New York schools must comply with §2-d data security requirements directly. Cloud automation tools processing student PII in the workflow layer create §2-d exposure.
  • Section 508: Federal agencies (ED, VA GI Bill, DoD Tuition Assistance) and federally-funded institutions must procure Section 508-compliant software. A WCAG failure in your automation layer can appear in a procurement audit.
  • Title IV: Financial aid integration data (COD system, NSLDS enrollment, FSA EDConnect) is subject to GLBA Safeguards Rule and Title IV program participation requirements. Routing it through third-party cloud automation creates unauthorized data egress.

Self-hosted n8n runs in your VPC or the customer's infrastructure. Student PII, FA integration payloads, and accessibility audit data never leave the authorized boundary. Every workflow is git-versionable — an audit trail that SOC2, ISO 27001, and institutional security reviewers can verify.

Workflow 1: Title IV Financial Aid Integration Health Monitor

EdTech platforms that integrate with FSA's COD system, NSLDS enrollment reporting, FAA EDConnect, or state grant portals have a critical reliability obligation. Downtime isn't just a technical issue — it's a Title IV program participation risk.

This workflow polls each FA integration endpoint every 5 minutes. When COD goes down, it fires a [TITLE IV RISK] alert citing 34 CFR §668.14. NSLDS outages trigger §685.309 enrollment reporting risk flags. Your financial aid engineering team sees the regulatory context alongside the HTTP error code.

{
  "name": "Title IV Financial Aid Integration Health Monitor",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "Every 5 Minutes",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
      "typeVersion": 1.2,
      "position": [
        0,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "rule": {
          "interval": [
            {
              "field": "minutes",
              "minutesInterval": 5
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "name": "Get FA Integrations",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "typeVersion": 4.5,
      "position": [
        220,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "read",
        "documentId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",
        "sheetName": "fa_integrations",
        "options": {
          "headerRow": 1
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "3",
      "name": "Health Check Each",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "typeVersion": 4.2,
      "position": [
        440,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "method": "GET",
        "url": "={{ $json.endpoint_url }}",
        "timeout": 10000,
        "options": {
          "response": {
            "response": {
              "responseFormat": "text"
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "4",
      "name": "Classify Status",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        660,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const items = $input.all(); const results = []; const now = new Date(); for (const item of items) { const input = item.json; let status = 'OK'; let severity = 'PASS'; let regulatoryNote = ''; const respTime = input.response_time_ms || 0; const httpCode = input.http_code || 0; const intType = input.integration_type || ''; if (httpCode === 0 || httpCode >= 500) { status = 'DOWN'; severity = 'CRITICAL'; } else if (httpCode >= 400) { status = 'AUTH_ERROR'; severity = 'CRITICAL'; } else if (respTime > 8000) { status = 'SLOW'; severity = 'WARNING'; } if (intType === 'COD_SYSTEM' && severity === 'CRITICAL') { regulatoryNote = '[TITLE IV RISK] COD outage = disbursement failures. 34 CFR \u00a7668.14 program participation at risk.'; } else if (intType === 'NSLDS_ENROLLMENT' && severity === 'CRITICAL') { regulatoryNote = '[TITLE IV RISK] NSLDS enrollment reporting down. 34 CFR \u00a7685.309 reporting obligation at risk.'; } else if (intType === 'FAA_EDCONNECT' && severity === 'CRITICAL') { regulatoryNote = '[TITLE IV RISK] EDConnect outage blocks FSA data exchange.'; } else if (intType === 'STATE_GRANT_PORTAL' && severity === 'CRITICAL') { regulatoryNote = '[STATE AID RISK] State grant portal outage may delay disbursements.'; } results.push({...input, status, severity, regulatoryNote, checkedAt: now.toISOString()}); } return results.map(r => ({json: r}));"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Filter Non-OK",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        880,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "conditions": {
          "string": [
            {
              "value1": "={{ $json.severity }}",
              "operation": "notEquals",
              "value2": "PASS"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "6",
      "name": "Alert Slack",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        1100,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "post",
        "channel": "#regulatory-engineering",
        "text": "={{ $json.severity === 'CRITICAL' ? '\ud83d\udea8' : '\u26a0\ufe0f' }} *FA Integration Alert* \u2014 `{{ $json.integration_name }}` ({{ $json.integration_type }})\\nStatus: *{{ $json.status }}* | HTTP: {{ $json.http_code }} | {{ $json.regulatoryNote }}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "7",
      "name": "Email FA Team",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "typeVersion": 2.1,
      "position": [
        1320,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "send",
        "to": "financial-aid-integrations@yourcompany.com",
        "subject": "={{ $json.severity }}: {{ $json.integration_name }} \u2014 {{ $json.status }}",
        "message": "={{ $json.regulatoryNote }}\\n\\nEndpoint: {{ $json.endpoint_url }}\\nHTTP: {{ $json.http_code }} | Response time: {{ $json.response_time_ms }}ms\\nChecked: {{ $json.checkedAt }}"
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Every 5 Minutes": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Get FA Integrations",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Get FA Integrations": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Health Check Each",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Health Check Each": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Classify Status",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Classify Status": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Filter Non-OK",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Filter Non-OK": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Alert Slack",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Alert Slack": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Email FA Team",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}
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Workflow 2: Section 508 / WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Scan Alert

Most EdTech vendors run accessibility scans but lack a compliance-aware alert system that maps open issues to regulatory consequences.

This workflow runs every weekday morning, reads your accessibility audit tracker, and classifies components by severity: 5+ open WCAG issues = CRITICAL (Section 508 §794d risk, ADA Title II exposure), 2+ = URGENT with state-specific flags (TX Ed §32.151, CO Student Data Transparency Act). Components not audited in 180+ days trigger a NY Ed Law §2-d annual review flag.

{
  "name": "Section 508 WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Scan Alert",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "Weekdays 8AM",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
      "typeVersion": 1.2,
      "position": [
        0,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "rule": {
          "interval": [
            {
              "field": "cronExpression",
              "expression": "0 8 * * 1-5"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "name": "Get Accessibility Scans",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "typeVersion": 4.5,
      "position": [
        220,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "read",
        "documentId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",
        "sheetName": "accessibility_scans",
        "options": {
          "headerRow": 1
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "3",
      "name": "Classify Severity",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        440,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const items = $input.all(); const now = new Date(); const results = []; for (const item of items) { const d = item.json; const openIssues = parseInt(d.open_critical_issues || 0); const daysSinceAudit = Math.floor((now - new Date(d.last_audit_date)) / 86400000); let severity = 'PASS'; let urgencyNote = ''; if (openIssues >= 5 || daysSinceAudit > 180) { severity = 'CRITICAL'; urgencyNote = openIssues >= 5 ? openIssues + ' open critical WCAG 2.1 AA issues. Section 508 vendor compliance at risk (29 USC \u00a7794d).' : 'Accessibility audit overdue ' + daysSinceAudit + 'd. NY Ed Law \u00a72-d and ADA Title II exposure.'; } else if (openIssues >= 2) { severity = 'URGENT'; urgencyNote = openIssues + ' open WCAG issues. State student privacy mandates (TX Ed \u00a732.151, CO Student Data Act) may require remediation.'; } else if (openIssues >= 1) { severity = 'WARNING'; urgencyNote = openIssues + ' open WCAG issue. Track to closure before institutional customer audit.'; } results.push({...d, openIssues, daysSinceAudit, severity, urgencyNote, checkedAt: now.toISOString()}); } return results.map(r => ({json: r}));"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "4",
      "name": "Filter Issues",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        660,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "conditions": {
          "string": [
            {
              "value1": "={{ $json.severity }}",
              "operation": "notEquals",
              "value2": "PASS"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Notify Slack",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        880,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "post",
        "channel": "#accessibility-team",
        "text": "={{ $json.severity === 'CRITICAL' ? '\ud83d\udea8' : '\u26a0\ufe0f' }} *A11y Alert* [{{ $json.severity }}] \u2014 {{ $json.component_name }}\\n{{ $json.urgencyNote }}\\nOpen Issues: {{ $json.open_critical_issues }} | Last Audit: {{ $json.last_audit_date }} ({{ $json.daysSinceAudit }}d ago)"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "6",
      "name": "Email A11y Lead",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "typeVersion": 2.1,
      "position": [
        1100,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "send",
        "to": "accessibility@yourcompany.com",
        "subject": "={{ $json.severity }}: {{ $json.component_name }} \u2014 WCAG/Section 508 Issues",
        "message": "Component: {{ $json.component_name }}\\nSeverity: {{ $json.severity }}\\nOpen Critical Issues: {{ $json.open_critical_issues }}\\nLast Audit: {{ $json.last_audit_date }} ({{ $json.daysSinceAudit }}d ago)\\nRegulatory Requirement: {{ $json.regulatory_requirement }}\\n\\n{{ $json.urgencyNote }}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "7",
      "name": "Log to Audit Sheet",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "typeVersion": 4.5,
      "position": [
        1320,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "append",
        "documentId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",
        "sheetName": "accessibility_audit_log",
        "columns": {
          "mappingMode": "autoMapInputData"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Weekdays 8AM": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Get Accessibility Scans",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Get Accessibility Scans": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Classify Severity",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Classify Severity": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Filter Issues",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Filter Issues": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Notify Slack",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Notify Slack": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Email A11y Lead",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Email A11y Lead": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Log to Audit Sheet",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}
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Workflow 3: EdTech Compliance Deadline Tracker

EdTech SaaS vendors face 12+ recurring compliance obligations across federal and state frameworks:

Obligation Citation Frequency
Title IV program participation recertification 34 CFR §668.13 Annual
NSLDS enrollment reporting 34 CFR §685.309 Per term
Section 508 remediation 29 USC §794d Ongoing
SOPIPA annual review Cal. Bus. & Prof. §22584 Annual
NY Ed Law §2-d contract review NY Ed Law §2-d(6)(b) Annual
FERPA school official training 20 USC §1232g Annual
COPPA parental consent audit 16 CFR Part 312 Annual
WCAG accessibility audit Section 508 / WCAG 2.1 AA Periodic
ADA remediation deadline 42 USC §12101 Per finding
COD integration update 34 CFR §668.171 Per FSA release
State grant portal recertification State FA agency Annual
State student privacy law renewal CO/TX/WA/IL state laws Annual

This workflow fires every weekday, reads your compliance calendar, and escalates OVERDUE through NOTICE with regulatory citations so the owner understands the consequence, not just the date.

{
  "name": "EdTech Compliance Deadline Tracker",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "Weekdays 8AM",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
      "typeVersion": 1.2,
      "position": [
        0,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "rule": {
          "interval": [
            {
              "field": "cronExpression",
              "expression": "0 8 * * 1-5"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "name": "Get Deadlines",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "typeVersion": 4.5,
      "position": [
        220,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "read",
        "documentId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",
        "sheetName": "edtech_compliance",
        "options": {
          "headerRow": 1
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "3",
      "name": "Classify Urgency",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        440,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const items = $input.all(); const now = new Date(); const results = []; const citations = { 'TITLE_IV_RECERTIFICATION': '34 CFR \u00a7668.13 program participation agreement renewal', 'NSLDS_ENROLLMENT_REPORTING': '34 CFR \u00a7685.309 enrollment reporting to NSLDS', 'SECTION_508_REMEDIATION': '29 USC \u00a7794d Section 508 vendor compliance', 'SOPIPA_ANNUAL_REVIEW': 'Cal. Bus. & Prof. \u00a722584 SOPIPA annual review', 'NY_ED_LAW_2D_CONTRACT_REVIEW': 'NY Education Law \u00a72-d annual data privacy agreement renewal', 'STATE_PRIVACY_LAW_RENEWAL': 'State student data privacy law (CO/TX/WA/IL)', 'FERPA_TRAINING_RENEWAL': '20 USC \u00a71232g FERPA school official training', 'COPPA_PARENTAL_CONSENT_AUDIT': '16 CFR Part 312 COPPA verifiable parental consent audit', 'WCAG_AUDIT_DUE': 'WCAG 2.1 AA Section 508 periodic accessibility conformance audit', 'ADA_REMEDIATION_DEADLINE': '42 USC \u00a712101 ADA Title II digital accessibility remediation', 'COD_INTEGRATION_UPDATE': '34 CFR \u00a7668.171 COD system integration update per FSA specs', 'STATE_GRANT_PORTAL_RECERTIFICATION': 'State FA agency annual vendor recertification' }; for (const item of items) { const d = item.json; if (!d.due_date || !d.obligation_type) continue; const due = new Date(d.due_date); const daysLeft = Math.floor((due - now) / 86400000); const today = now.toISOString().slice(0, 10); if (d.alert_sent_date === today) continue; let urgency = null; if (daysLeft < 0) urgency = 'OVERDUE'; else if (daysLeft <= 14) urgency = 'CRITICAL'; else if (daysLeft <= 30) urgency = 'URGENT'; else if (daysLeft <= 60) urgency = 'WARNING'; else if (daysLeft <= 90) urgency = 'NOTICE'; if (!urgency) continue; const citation = citations[d.obligation_type] || d.obligation_type; results.push({...d, daysLeft, urgency, citation, today}); } return results.map(r => ({json: r}));"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "4",
      "name": "Alert Slack",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        660,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "post",
        "channel": "#compliance-team",
        "text": "={{ $json.urgency === 'OVERDUE' ? '\ud83d\udea8' : $json.urgency === 'CRITICAL' ? '\ud83d\udd34' : $json.urgency === 'URGENT' ? '\ud83d\udfe0' : '\ud83d\udfe1' }} *[EDTECH {{ $json.urgency }}]* {{ $json.obligation_name }}\\n{{ $json.citation }}\\nDue: {{ $json.due_date }} ({{ $json.daysLeft < 0 ? Math.abs($json.daysLeft) + 'd OVERDUE' : $json.daysLeft + 'd left' }})\\nOwner: {{ $json.owner_email }}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Email Owner",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "typeVersion": 2.1,
      "position": [
        880,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "send",
        "to": "={{ $json.owner_email }}",
        "subject": "={{ '[' + $json.urgency + '] EdTech Compliance: ' + $json.obligation_name }}",
        "message": "Obligation: {{ $json.obligation_name }}\\nRegulatory Basis: {{ $json.citation }}\\nDue: {{ $json.due_date }} | Days left: {{ $json.daysLeft }}\\nInstitution Scope: {{ $json.institution_scope }}\\n\\nAction required. Non-compliance may affect institutional customer contracts and platform certifications."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "6",
      "name": "Mark Alert Sent",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "typeVersion": 4.5,
      "position": [
        1100,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "update",
        "documentId": "YOUR_SHEET_ID",
        "sheetName": "edtech_compliance",
        "columns": {
          "mappingMode": "defineBelow",
          "value": {
            "values": [
              {
                "column": "alert_sent_date",
                "value": "={{ $json.today }}"
              },
              {
                "column": "id",
                "value": "={{ $json.id }}"
              }
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Weekdays 8AM": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Get Deadlines",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Get Deadlines": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Classify Urgency",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Classify Urgency": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Alert Slack",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Alert Slack": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Email Owner",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Email Owner": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Mark Alert Sent",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}
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Workflow 4: Student Data Breach & State Privacy Law Pipeline

A student data incident at an EdTech vendor triggers obligations across multiple frameworks simultaneously — each with a different clock, notification target, and consequence.

This webhook-triggered workflow classifies 9 incident types and fires the right response:

Incident Type Regulation Notification Deadline
SIS_DATA_EXFILTRATION FERPA + state law 72h to ED OCR
FERPA_UNAUTHORIZED_DISCLOSURE 20 USC §1232g Immediate to institution
COPPA_CHILD_DATA_BREACH 16 CFR Part 312 FTC without unreasonable delay
NY_ED_LAW_2D_BREACH NY Ed Law §2-d 10 days to NYSED, 60 days to schools
SOPIPA_VIOLATION Cal. Bus. & Prof. §22584 Notify CA school operator promptly
TITLE_IV_PII_EXPOSURE 34 CFR §668.14 / GLBA 72h to FSA-participating institution
SECTION_508_SYSTEM_OUTAGE 29 USC §794d / ADA Title II Immediate; remediation plan 48h
STATE_STUDENT_DATA_SECURITY_INCIDENT CO/TX/WA/IL state law 30-72h depending on state
WCAG_CRITICAL_ACCESSIBILITY_FAILURE Section 508 / ADA Title II Remediation plan 5 business days 
{
  "name": "Student Data Breach and State Privacy Law Pipeline",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "Incident Webhook",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        0,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "httpMethod": "POST",
        "path": "edtech-incident",
        "responseMode": "responseNode"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "name": "Respond 200 OK",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.respondToWebhook",
      "typeVersion": 1.1,
      "position": [
        220,
        150
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "respondWith": "text",
        "responseBody": "received"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "3",
      "name": "Classify Incident",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        220,
        420
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const d = $input.first().json.body || $input.first().json; const incidentType = d.incident_type || 'UNKNOWN'; const now = new Date(); const regMap = { 'SIS_DATA_EXFILTRATION': { severity: 'CRITICAL', regulations: 'FERPA + state law', deadline: '72h to ED OCR notification' }, 'FERPA_UNAUTHORIZED_DISCLOSURE': { severity: 'CRITICAL', regulations: '20 USC \u00a71232g 34 CFR Part 99', deadline: 'Immediate notification to institution' }, 'COPPA_CHILD_DATA_BREACH': { severity: 'CRITICAL', regulations: 'COPPA 15 USC \u00a76502 16 CFR Part 312', deadline: 'FTC notification without unreasonable delay' }, 'NY_ED_LAW_2D_BREACH': { severity: 'CRITICAL', regulations: 'NY Education Law \u00a72-d 8 NYCRR Part 121', deadline: 'Notify NYSED within 10 calendar days; schools within 60 days' }, 'SOPIPA_VIOLATION': { severity: 'HIGH', regulations: 'Cal. Bus. & Prof. \u00a722584 SOPIPA', deadline: 'Notify CA school operator promptly; CA AG enforcement' }, 'TITLE_IV_PII_EXPOSURE': { severity: 'CRITICAL', regulations: '34 CFR \u00a7668.14 GLBA Safeguards 16 CFR Part 314', deadline: 'Notify FSA-participating institution within 72h' }, 'SECTION_508_SYSTEM_OUTAGE': { severity: 'HIGH', regulations: '29 USC \u00a7794d Section 508 ADA Title II', deadline: 'Notify institution immediately; remediation plan 48h' }, 'STATE_STUDENT_DATA_SECURITY_INCIDENT': { severity: 'HIGH', regulations: 'State student data security law CO TX WA IL FL', deadline: 'State law varies: CO 30d TX 60d WA 72h IL FERPA-aligned' }, 'WCAG_CRITICAL_ACCESSIBILITY_FAILURE': { severity: 'MEDIUM', regulations: 'Section 508 WCAG 2.1 AA ADA Title II', deadline: 'Notify institution immediately; remediation plan 5 business days' } }; const reg = regMap[incidentType] || { severity: 'HIGH', regulations: 'Unknown', deadline: 'Review immediately' }; return [{json: { ...d, incidentType, severity: reg.severity, regulations: reg.regulations, notificationDeadline: reg.deadline, detectedAt: now.toISOString(), incidentId: 'INC-' + Date.now() }}];"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "4",
      "name": "Slack Incident Command",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        440,
        420
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "post",
        "channel": "#incident-command",
        "text": "={{ $json.severity === 'CRITICAL' ? '\ud83d\udea8' : '\u26a0\ufe0f' }} *[EDTECH {{ $json.severity }}]* {{ $json.incidentType }} \u2014 {{ $json.incidentId }}\\n*Regulations:* {{ $json.regulations }}\\n*Notification deadline:* {{ $json.notificationDeadline }}\\n*Institution:* {{ $json.institution_name || 'Unknown' }}\\n*Detected:* {{ $json.detectedAt }}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Email CISO",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "typeVersion": 2.1,
      "position": [
        660,
        420
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "send",
        "to": "ciso@yourcompany.com",
        "subject": "={{ '[' + $json.severity + '] EdTech Incident: ' + $json.incidentType + ' \u2014 ' + $json.incidentId }}",
        "message": "Incident ID: {{ $json.incidentId }}\\nType: {{ $json.incidentType }}\\nSeverity: {{ $json.severity }}\\nDetected: {{ $json.detectedAt }}\\n\\nRegulations triggered: {{ $json.regulations }}\\nNotification deadline: {{ $json.notificationDeadline }}\\n\\nAffected institution: {{ $json.institution_name || 'Unknown' }}\\nAffected records: {{ $json.affected_records || 'TBD' }}\\n\\nImmediate response team activation required."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "6",
      "name": "Log to Postgres",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.postgres",
      "typeVersion": 2.5,
      "position": [
        880,
        420
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "insert",
        "schema": "public",
        "table": "edtech_incidents",
        "columns": "incident_id,incident_type,severity,regulations,notification_deadline,institution_name,detected_at",
        "values": "={{ $json.incidentId }},={{ $json.incidentType }},={{ $json.severity }},={{ $json.regulations }},={{ $json.notificationDeadline }},={{ $json.institution_name || 'Unknown' }},={{ $json.detectedAt }}"
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Incident Webhook": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Respond 200 OK",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          },
          {
            "node": "Classify Incident",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Classify Incident": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Slack Incident Command",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Slack Incident Command": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Email CISO",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Email CISO": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Log to Postgres",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}
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Workflow 5: Weekly EdTech Platform KPI Dashboard

This weekly report segments platform metrics by institution tier (K12, HIGHER_ED, COMMUNITY_COLLEGE, ED_AGENCY), tracks MRR WoW%, and includes compliance-specific KPIs: accessibility score, open Section 508 issues, and compliance incident count.

The compliance officer is BCC'd automatically. When open 508 issues exceed 3 or incidents > 0, the CISO-level flag appears in the executive email — the governance gap that causes institutional customers to fail vendor security reviews closes here.

Why this matters for customer retention: A Title IV data breach triggers an ED program participation review for your institutional customer, causing direct churn. A non-compliant WCAG score is a procurement exclusion risk for K-12 and higher ed customers receiving federal funds under Title I, II, or IV. These metrics belong in the executive dashboard, not the quarterly audit report.

{
  "name": "Weekly EdTech Platform KPI Dashboard",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "name": "Monday 8AM",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
      "typeVersion": 1.2,
      "position": [
        0,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "rule": {
          "interval": [
            {
              "field": "cronExpression",
              "expression": "0 8 * * 1"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "name": "Get Platform Metrics",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.postgres",
      "typeVersion": 2.5,
      "position": [
        220,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "executeQuery",
        "query": "SELECT tier, SUM(mrr_usd) as mrr, COUNT(*) as active_institutions, AVG(accessibility_score) as avg_a11y_score, SUM(compliance_incidents_7d) as compliance_incidents, SUM(section_508_open_issues) as open_508_issues FROM edtech_platform_metrics WHERE week_ending = CURRENT_DATE GROUP BY tier ORDER BY mrr DESC"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "3",
      "name": "Build KPI Report",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [
        440,
        300
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "const rows = $input.all().map(i => i.json); const wf = $getWorkflowStaticData('global'); const prevMrr = wf.prevTotalMrr || 0; const totalMrr = rows.reduce((s, r) => s + Number(r.mrr || 0), 0); const mrrWoW = prevMrr ? (((totalMrr - prevMrr) / prevMrr) * 100).toFixed(1) : 'N/A'; wf.prevTotalMrr = totalMrr; const totalInstitutions = rows.reduce((s, r) => s + Number(r.active_institutions || 0), 0); const totalIncidents = rows.reduce((s, r) => s + Number(r.compliance_incidents || 0), 0); const totalOpenIssues = rows.reduce((s, r) => s + Number(r.open_508_issues || 0), 0); const avgA11y = rows.length ? (rows.reduce((s, r) => s + Number(r.avg_a11y_score || 0), 0) / rows.length).toFixed(1) : 'N/A'; const tierTable = rows.map(r => '<tr><td>' + r.tier + '</td><td>$' + Number(r.mrr).toLocaleString() + '</td><td>' + r.active_institutions + '</td><td>' + Number(r.avg_a11y_score || 0).toFixed(1) + '%</td><td>' + r.compliance_incidents + '</td><td>' + r.open_508_issues + '</td></tr>').join(''); const cisoFlag = totalIncidents > 0 ? '<p style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">[COMPLIANCE INCIDENT] ' + totalIncidents + ' incident(s) this week. Review regulatory notification deadlines.</p>' : ''; const a11yFlag = totalOpenIssues > 3 ? '<p style=\"color:orange;font-weight:bold;\">[WCAG RISK] ' + totalOpenIssues + ' open Section 508/WCAG issues. Procurement risk for federal/state-funded customers.</p>' : ''; const html = '<h2>Weekly EdTech Platform KPI</h2>' + cisoFlag + a11yFlag + '<p><b>Total MRR:</b> $' + totalMrr.toLocaleString() + ' (WoW: ' + mrrWoW + '%)</p><p><b>Active Institutions:</b> ' + totalInstitutions + ' | <b>Avg A11y Score:</b> ' + avgA11y + '% | <b>Compliance Incidents:</b> ' + totalIncidents + '</p><table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"6\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse;\"><tr style=\"background:#222;color:#fff;\"><th>Tier</th><th>MRR</th><th>Institutions</th><th>A11y Score</th><th>Incidents</th><th>Open 508 Issues</th></tr>' + tierTable + '</table>'; return [{json: {html, totalMrr, mrrWoW, totalInstitutions, totalIncidents, totalOpenIssues, avgA11y}}];"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "4",
      "name": "Email CEO",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "typeVersion": 2.1,
      "position": [
        660,
        200
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "send",
        "to": "ceo@yourcompany.com",
        "bcc": "compliance@yourcompany.com",
        "subject": "={{ 'Weekly EdTech KPI \u2014 $' + $json.totalMrr.toLocaleString() + ' MRR | ' + $json.totalIncidents + ' Incidents | A11y ' + $json.avgA11y + '%' }}",
        "message": "={{ $json.html }}",
        "options": {
          "emailType": "html"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "5",
      "name": "Slack Summary",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        660,
        420
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "post",
        "channel": "#executive-summary",
        "text": "={{ '\ud83d\udcca *Weekly EdTech KPI* | MRR: $' + $json.totalMrr.toLocaleString() + ' (' + $json.mrrWoW + '% WoW) | Institutions: ' + $json.totalInstitutions + ' | A11y: ' + $json.avgA11y + '% | Incidents: ' + $json.totalIncidents + ' | Open 508 Issues: ' + $json.totalOpenIssues }}"
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Monday 8AM": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Get Platform Metrics",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Get Platform Metrics": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Build KPI Report",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Build KPI Report": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Email CEO",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          },
          {
            "node": "Slack Summary",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}
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n8n vs Zapier / Make for EdTech SaaS

Requirement n8n (self-hosted) Zapier / Make
Student PII stays in VPC Yes — always No — data transits cloud
FERPA school official exemption Yes — no third-party disclosure No — creates disclosure chain
NY Ed Law §2-d compliance Yes — vendor-direct No — adds compliance scope
Section 508 audit trail Yes — git-versionable workflows No — no version control
Title IV FA integration control Yes — custom retry and SLA logic Limited retry control
COPPA under-13 data isolation Yes — stays on-premises No — third-party processing
Cost at 500K ops/month Fixed server cost $400-900/month

Get the complete workflow pack

All 5 workflows above are available as import-ready JSON at stripeai.gumroad.com — individual templates from $12, or the complete automation bundle for $97.

If you're building EdTech SaaS and want to reduce the manual overhead of tracking 12+ recurring federal and state compliance obligations while keeping student data in your infrastructure, these workflows are a practical starting point.

Tags: n8n, EdTech SaaS, FERPA, COPPA, Section 508, WCAG, Title IV, student data privacy, automation

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