CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — Students from San Juan Unified School District [SJUSD] kicked off their new school year on Thursday, Aug. 13, with delays as long as 90 minute just to log into their online classrooms.
Multiple server failures caused the login delays to a “significant” number of the SJUSD’s 40,000 students. There is no way to tell exactly how many students were effected, but SJUSD spokesperson Trent Allen said the issue was significant based on the number of phone calls and social media messages the district received.
All SJUSD students started the school year on an all distance learning model. Teachers have been given the choice to teach from home or campus.
“Certainly, failing on the first day of distance learning is not ideal, it’s not where we wanted to be, it’s not the experience we wanted to give folks,” Allen said. “So, it’s something we take very seriously and we’re looking into and we don’t want to have repeated.”
By the afternoon, SJUSD had more than 750 Zoom meetings happening at the same time. Some parents took to the SJUSD Facebook page with concerns about the problems, even though for others, the first day of school went smoothly.
Jennifer Haag has three children who attend school in the SJUSD, but only one saw issues Thursday. She said she was most frustrated about the lack of communication from the district on the issue. She tried calling the school but wasn't able to get through to anyone.
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Some parents were notified of the issues by email, others by a message on the SJUSD website. The issue was resolved around 11 a.m. and Allen hopes students do not experience any issues Friday.
“I would have appreciated an email or a robocall just saying OK, we’re having technical difficulties,” Haag said.
Her son was able to get through and into his classes in the afternoon.
Denise Harms, 51, and mother of a Rio Americano High School freshman, said her daughter didn't experience any issues. While the distance learning model isn’t ideal, she has far more confidence in her daughter's curriculum now than last spring.
“Everything went really well for Lydia. She logged in this morning... and had three classes she had to check into and be on, and no problems with anyone,” Harms said.
School districts across Northern California have faced similar hurdles as they move to all distance learning models. The Modesto City School District website crashed on their first day of school, preventing some students from being able to log in at all.
This comes as school districts like San Juan Unified have made massive efforts to go high-tech with their curriculum as they face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Districts were forced into what Allen calls crisis learning in the spring when schools in California were ordered to close in March.
Since then, San Juan Unified has issued 21,000 Chromebooks to its students and is providing mobile internet hotspots for those who have internet connectivity and access issues. SJUSD is also waiting on a backorder of tablets which will be issued to Kindergarten and first graders, those devices should arrive in late August and early September.
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