Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said it experienced more technical issues Friday that disrupted end-of-year state exams, marking the second consecutive day many students were unable to complete their tests.
Those tests are taken on an online platform statewide.
The district said it is dealing with “platform and/or server disruptions.” On Friday, CMS told staff and families the problems were a “localized technology issue.”
The state Department of Public Instruction confirmed Friday there have been no disruptions outside the Charlotte area, but that DPI was supporting the district in trying to solve the problem.
“NCDPI knows how stressful and frustrating these interruptions are for students who came ready to test, and for the families and educators supporting them,” said DPI spokesman Mark Dessauer. “NCDPI and CMS will continue to address this situation over this weekend. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. Outside of several schools in CMS, North Carolina public schools experienced a normal testing day yesterday and today.”
CMS instructed principals Friday to suspend testing if their school experienced problems.
“Schools affected by this issue are now implementing our contingency plan to reschedule testing, a process that is a consistent and standard practice across all North Carolina districts following a disruption,” CMS said in a message to families.
The district acknowledged the situation is frustrating and stressful for students and said counselors and school teams would support those dealing with testing anxiety.
“We know how much hard work, energy and preparation our students pour into these assessments,” the district told families. “Experiencing a technical interruption mid-test can be frustrating and stressful for them. We want to validate that feelings of disappointment or anxiety right now are normal and understood.”
CMS said it plans to work with DPI through the weekend to resolve the issue “with the highest sense of urgency.”
It was not immediately clear how many students were affected.
