Under pressure from a federal judge who has threatened to hold them in contempt, Baltimore school officials have made "substantial strides" to bring the district's special education computer system up to good working condition, according to a new report by a court liaison.

The system tracks information on the thousands of city children who receive special education services. As a result of a lawsuit filed 18 years ago, the school district is required to ensure that the system is functioning properly.

On Oct. 11, U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis gave school officials "one final chance" to improve technical aspects of the computer system that were contributing to an overall breakdown.

Garbis said in his order then that Carmen V. Russo, chief executive of the school system, and Joseph J. Kirkman, chief technology officer, had not complied with his orders. The failure was due to their "management decisions, or an absence thereof," the judge said.

Garbis threatened to hold Russo and other school officials in contempt.

His fury peaked earlier last month at a hearing during which he questioned Kirkman's inability to comply with a deadline for improving the computer system.

"You said you'd do it. ... Do you bloody care? Do you care, sir? Do you care about meeting the orders of this court, or is it something you can just blow away?" Garbis asked.

The new report by court-appointed special master Amy Totenberg, released Friday, said the school system has made "sufficient progress in meeting its obligations under the Court's Orders." The report is intended to inform Garbis before a hearing Dec. 5.

Totenberg's report suggests that Garbis' anger might have spurred school officials to get on the ball.

"The evidence reviewed by the Special Master indicates that the [school system] has made substantial strides since" the hearing early last month, she said.

Russo said she was pleased by Totenberg's characterization of the work that has been done since Garbis' order.

"The staff has worked extremely, extremely hard because our goal was to make substantial progress, and we're just delighted that the special master has recognized it," she said.

In her report, however, Totenberg warned that her findings were only preliminary.

"The progress made thus far is partial, and resolution of issues affecting the full and effective operational status of the ... system remains in process," she wrote.