Before the NYC Snow Day debacle, IBM had warned about technical limitations

What happened: The city did not hire IBM to handle such a large increase in remote learning.

Since schools closed during the pandemic, many districts have opted to forego typical snow days and instead hold classes virtually. Last year, city officials asked schools to test virtual learning in preparation for days when school is closed due to weather.

But IBM was not directly involved in the simulations.

According to the contract, IBM was expected to provide 400 logins per second for the district since approximately 2019. Around 1 p.m. on Feb. 12, school officials informed a member of IBM’s engineering team that “there may be a remote learning day the next day,” Ms. Hunt said during testimony before the City Council on Wednesday.

The notification came three hours after a public announcement by the school district that schools would be remote the following day. And no executive leaders at IBM were involved, Ms. Hunt said.

When more than 900,000 children and educators tried to join classes around the same time on February 13, the company’s systems were overwhelmed by the wave.

“The Department of Education had a cupboard door when it needed a stable door,” Ms Hunt said during the council hearing. “With more than 2,000 transactions per second, everyone tried to run through that door at once.”

Why it matters: The city has struggled to respond to severe weather.

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration previously faced intense criticism for its preparation for severe weather — and the winter storm presented a major test for the school district.

When a councilor asked whether the Department of Education had given IBM sufficient notice, Ms Hunt said: “I think we both agree that was not sufficient.”

She added that the company had previously recommended that city officials use a different system that could provide more simultaneous logins.

Emma Vadehra, Chief Operating Officer of the Ministry of Education, told the hearing that “we deeply regret what happened.” But she also said the system has “undertaken a range of work in recent months to be as prepared as possible.”

Still, several council members pointed out that the city had announced plans several years ago to replace traditional snow days with remote learning, and wondered why officials hadn’t changed the terms of the contract since then.

“The fact that we are now in 2024” and “there is such a big gap between what is on paper and what actually happened is really staggering,” said Shekar Krishnan, a council member who represents parts of northern Queens represents.

What’s next: Staggered start times on remote days?

For now, New York City is still planning to switch to remote classes for winter storms and other inclement weather.

But in the future, children may be asked to report to school at different times during the morning. School officials said IBM recommended the change but acknowledged it would not be ideal.

“I would be concerned that it wouldn’t work,” said Gale Brewer, a city council member who represents most of the Upper West Side.

Dana Rubinstein reporting contributed.