Cybersecurity Incident Disrupts Online Systems at Virginia Public Schools, Classes Continue Offline

By Staff, Agencies

A cybersecurity incident disrupted online systems at Richmond Public Schools [RPS] in the US state of Virginia on Wednesday, forcing schools to shift to a technology-free learning environment while officials work to investigate the incident and restore affected services, ABC News reported.

RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras said the incident had not affected the safety of students or staff, confirming that schools would remain open and classes would continue despite the technological disruptions.

“Schools will remain open this week, and learning will continue as we shift to a technology-free learning environment,” the school district said in a statement published on its website.

The district also thanked students, families and staff for their patience and flexibility, warning that some technology services could remain temporarily unavailable.

“Our priorities are supporting our students and staff, understanding what happened, and restoring affected systems securely,” Kamras said in an email to ABC News.

He added that the district was working with external cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement agencies to determine the full extent of the incident.

“We are actively working with outside cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to understand the full scope of the incident, and we will share updates as we confirm information and communicate directly with anyone who needs to take action,” Kamras said.

According to local news outlet The Richmonder, the incident has affected phone services and internet access. While internet connectivity remains unavailable, office phones and security cameras are reportedly still operational.

Authorities and school officials are continuing to investigate the incident, with efforts focused on determining what happened, assessing the impact on district systems and restoring services securely. No further details about the cause of the disruption or those potentially responsible have been confirmed.