Minneapolis Public Schools says computer problems won't interfere with e-learning technology

Minneapolis Public Schools officials on Tuesday acknowledged ongoing "technical difficulties" with some computer systems but didn't define the extent or cause of the issue.

In an email to parents, leaders said the technology used for e-learning is still accessible. Students will have e-learning days Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because of the predicted snowstorm.

The district on Tuesday evening said MPS staff was working "around the clock" with third-party IT specialists to investigate the source of the issue, "confirm its impact on our systems, and restore full functionality." Because of the issues, parent-teacher conferences were canceled on Tuesday and staff was told not to report to work.

Tuesday's update explained that "no data will be lost due to this incident," because the district was able to restore data through backups. The district has updated passwords, is working with a specialist to monitor the network and has employed a kind of "virus alert system" to allow MPS students and staff to keep using district devices securely, according to the update.

A Monday email to employees encouraged all staff to change passwords "out of abundance of caution," but said the investigation had not confirmed that employee personal information was compromised.

Staff was first notified via email of a "system incident that has impacted many MPS systems," on Saturday afternoon.

"The confidentiality, privacy, and security of your information in our care is among our highest priorities," read the email to families on Tuesday. "We remain committed to safeguarding the information in our care and will continue to take steps to ensure the security of our systems."