YORK COUNTY, Va. — Many classes start next week across Hampton Roads, but some York County students may not have everything they need to begin virtual learning.
In a Facebook post, the school division said they have not received all the laptops ordered for 6th through 12th-grade students. The school division said they are dealing with ongoing shipping delays and the increased national demand for student devices.
The school division said in a message to families Tuesday they still expect to be able to provide secondary students a device if they need one in the near future, but they won't be able to meet the total demand in time for the first day of school.
A school spokeswoman said the school division is now asking families that can use a personal laptop or computer in the meantime to do so, so leaders can prioritize giving devices to students who don't have a computer at home first.
The school division has received many of the devices for students in grades 6-12 and is in the process called “imaging” so they are set up correctly for student use. As that takes time, some of those devices will not be ready until school begins.
Many families who previously requested a device so that a student would not have to bring a personal device to school when York County resumes in-person instruction have responded that they are able to wait.
On Wednesday, a spokeswoman said the school division is still optimistic they will hand out laptops to their most at need families before the first day. She added they will hold a distribution session Monday and Tuesday before school if they need to.
Shanna Caufield ordered a laptop for her son Macen, a senior at York High School.
"As a parent, I think the school board needs to be on top of it," Caufield said. "Hopefully in two weeks we'll get them, but I don't know."
Caufield is fortunate to have a desktop computer in her home, but said she knows many families who don't. She knows her son will need one once students get back to the classroom.
"They knew this was a situation, the laptops are nationwide, they knew there was going to be an influx, so maybe we should've ordered earlier," Caufield said. "I want my son's friends to be able to have the same access to the computer as we do, and the school board should have thought of that."