Memphis, Tennessee, October 14, 2025
News Summary
Memphis-Shelby County Schools has announced that its mass messaging software, Finalsite, is offline due to a data breach. While the school district wasnโt directly affected, communication with families and staff is disrupted. To address this, an alternate messaging system, Constant Contact, will be used until Finalsite is restored. This incident raises ongoing concerns about the reliability of communication services provided to the school district, especially following previous issues and a data breach involving another platform, PowerSchool.
Memphis, Tennessee โ Data Breach Affects Mass Messaging Software for Schools
Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has announced that its mass messaging software, Finalsite, has been taken offline due to a recent data breach. The breach occurred earlier this week, prompting Finalsite to suspend its services as a precautionary measure. While MSCS has received reassurances that the school district itself was not directly impacted by this data breach, the discontinuation of Finalsiteโs services is disrupting communication between the district and families as well as staff.
To mitigate the impact of the disruption, MSCS has decided to implement an alternate messaging system, Constant Contact, for sending out emails and important reminders until Finalsiteโs services are restored. MSCS has emphasized the significance of maintaining communication throughout this period of uncertainty.
Impact on Communication and Previous Issues
The communication issues with Finalsite are not entirely new to MSCS. A previous incident occurred in 2024, which involved communication lapses during threats made against MSCS schools. Furthermore, the former superintendent, Marie Feagins, had previously criticized Finalsite for inadequacies in their communication services and poor record-keeping from the school district. The current situation has reignited concerns about the reliability of the messaging platform.
Ongoing Security Concerns with Other Services
This is not the only data security concern for MSCS. The district continues to utilize PowerSchool, a student information system that experienced a data breach in December 2024. This breach resulted in the exposure of personal information for thousands of students and staff members. PowerSchool is currently facing a class action lawsuit filed by MSCS alongside other school districts connected to that data breach. The lawsuit alleges that PowerSchool failed to notify the district and affected individuals adequately, raising questions about their commitment to data security.
In response to the issues with PowerSchool, MSCS is actively advocating for stronger security measures through the ongoing legal proceedings. Notably, the district has invested over $21 million in services from PowerSchool over the years to support their student information systems, indicating a significant financial commitment to the platform despite the security risks that have arisen.
Summary
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools district is currently facing challenges in communication due to the suspension of Finalsite’s services following a recent data breach. While the district reassures that it was not directly affected, the situation underscores larger issues surrounding the reliability of communication software and ongoing security challenges with its data management systems.
FAQ Section
What happened to Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ messaging software?
The mass messaging software, Finalsite, was taken offline due to a data breach.
Was Memphis-Shelby County Schools directly impacted by the data breach?
MSCS received reassurances that the school district itself was not directly impacted by the data breach.
How is MSCS communicating with families and staff during this disruption?
MSCS will utilize an alternate messaging system, Constant Contact, to send out emails and key reminders until Finalsite’s services are restored.
Have there been previous issues with Finalsite?
This is not the first incident involving communication issues with Finalsite; a previous lack of communication occurred in 2024 during threats against MSCS schools.
What other data security issues has MSCS faced?
MSCS continues to use PowerSchool, which suffered a data breach in December 2024 that exposed the personal information of thousands of students and staff.
Is there a lawsuit related to the PowerSchool data breach?
PowerSchool is currently facing a class action lawsuit filed by MSCS and other school districts related to that data breach.
Key Features Overview
| Feature | Finalsite | PowerSchool |
|---|---|---|
| Data Breach History | Current breach causing service suspension | Previous breach in December 2024 affecting many students and staff |
| Current Usage by MSCS | Temporarily suspended | Continues to be used |
| Alternate Messaging System | N/A | N/A |
| Legal Actions | N/A | Class action lawsuit filed by MSCS and other districts |
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Additional Resources
- Fox 13 Memphis: MSCS Mass Messaging Software Taken Offline After Data Breach
- Local Memphis: MSCS Mass Messaging Software Breached
- Action News 5: MSCS Sues PowerSchool Data Breach, Court Docs Show
- Fox 13 Memphis: Memphis-Shelby County Schools Sues Software Provider Over Data Breach
- Wikipedia: Data Breach
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