Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Enhance Accountability Measures to Address Missing Technology Concerns

Charlotte Schools Tackle Missing Technology Issues with Fresh Accountability Measures

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been a couple of years since an alarming report uncovered that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) had nearly $1.5 million worth of missing and stolen computers. Since then, the district has been putting new measures in place to ensure that families and schools play their part in safeguarding these valuable resources. But have those measures been enough? Unfortunately, it turns out that some schools are still not following the district’s new rules.

After the reporting prompted CMS to revamp its procedures, they’ve managed to collect $300,000 from families in an effort to recover losses attributed to lost or damaged Chromebooks and iPads. But public records indicate that numerous schools have yet to start collecting these promised fees. Many of these schools may now find themselves unable to reclaim an unknown—but likely sizable—amount of money, as CMS has decided to forgive all past-device fee debt.

New Changes for a Fresh Start

As CMS embarks on what they hope will be a transformative year, they are now making it clear that both families and schools will be held accountable going forward. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will directly affect individual schools’ budgets, which raises the stakes for everyone involved.

Chief Technology Officer Dr. Candace Salmon-Hosey, who initially addressed the findings from 2022, expressed frustration with how long it has taken to implement changes. “It would make me feel very disappointed that the value in what we’re doing has not been maybe acknowledged or maybe overlooked,” she said, pointing out that progress has been slower than anticipated.

Investing in Future Tech

CMS is finally stepping up its game with the approval of a new budget that includes a whopping $4 million for recurring funding. This will allow students to receive new take-home computers every four years—ensuring they always have access to the latest technology. This is not just about keeping up with the times; it’s also about encouraging students to take better care of devices that feel like their own.

Additionally, the new budget allocates $4.6 million for a dedicated position in most schools focused solely on device management. Previously, administrators juggled this responsibility along with their many other duties, which made it easy to overlook the need for accountability.

A Clean Slate for Schools

In an effort to reset the situation, CMS decided to wipe clean all previous money owed at the start of the new school year. Salmon-Hosey believes this fresh start gives individual schools a chance to collect fees without the burden of past debts. “That is so schools can start fresh and they don’t inherit fees from their feeder schools,” she explained.

Yet despite these efforts, some schools have failed to follow the new mandates regarding fee collection. “We are addressing this through the newly instituted structures for school accountability of device management,” Salmon-Hosey added, indicating a keen awareness of accountability concerns moving forward.

Setting Clear Expectations

Furthermore, school administrators are under added pressure to comply with the expectations laid out in their state-required technology plans. Principals and assistant principals’ performance evaluations will include how well they manage device tracking and fee collection.

Salmon-Hosey remains optimistic: “Ten years from now, this will be so integrated into the culture of how we do things that schools will instinctively know” what is expected of them regarding device management.

As CMS looks to solidify accountability in managing technology, it’s clear they are keen on becoming good stewards of taxpayer dollars. With new funding and structures in place, this could very well be the turning point needed to ensure that every Chromebook, iPad, and hotspot is utilized and cared for like it truly belongs to the students.

With these initiatives in play, the hope is that this will be a year of improvements, learning, and growth—for both the schools and the students at the heart of this journey.