DESE Confirms System Slowdown, Restricts Food Program Access | The Locally Times
A Feb. 26 state notice confirms education system slowdowns and limits Food and Nutrition Services access to one user per school district, with no timeline provided for a fix.
## State Confirms System Performance Issues A February 26, 2026, notice from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) confirms its web applications are experiencing technical problems. The notice states the applications have slower load times than what is typical. The notice includes an apology and states that staff are working on a resolution. However, the document does not specify the cause of the slowdown, which applications are most affected, when the issues began, or provide an estimated timeline for a fix. The notice does not allow for a quantification of the impact on statewide school district operations. For users who have been locked out of their accounts, the notice provides an email address and a phone number, 573-522-3207, for assistance. Staff are listed as available during business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays. ## Food Program Access Limited to Single User The same DESE notice details a major access restriction for Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). The policy limits each school district or Local Education Agency (LEA) to a single authorized representative for managing FNS applications on the state’s web portal. The notice, which is directed at district user managers, does not explain the rationale for the one-user policy. The record also does not clarify if this is a new restriction or a long-standing rule, nor does it state whether the limit is related to the ongoing technical slowdown. The DESE notice does not address the potential effect of this restriction on a district’s ability to manage student food services. ## Notice Leaves Key Questions Unanswered While DESE provides contact information for login assistance, the notice does not offer a channel for inquiries about the FNS user limit or the broader system instability. The notice also provides instructions for users who received an email about an inactive account, but the document does not state what triggers account inactivation or how many users have been affected.