Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) is committed to providing technology devices and internet access to all students. As a result, Chromebooks and iPads are available for CMS students through their school.

Hotspots

As students across the nation engage in remote learning, it has never been more important to have reliable internet service at home. Unfortunately, thousands of students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools do not have home internet access. Thus, creating urgency in our community to ensure that every student has access to education this school year regardless of economic circumstance.

Following the school closures in March, the CMS Foundation raised more than $1 million to purchase 6,000 mobile hotspots for students without home internet. At the start of this new school year, an estimated 16,000 households with CMS students still lack home connectivity.

During this crisis, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has deployed more than 116,000 laptops and iPads to equip students with remote learning tools. As the district's nonprofit partner, the CMS Foundation is now asking our community to "Connect for Tech" and close the connectivity gap. Access to education should not be a privilege. Every child in Charlotte-Mecklenburg should have the opportunity to engage in remote learning regardless of financial circumstances.

A gift of $200 covers the cost of one year of internet service for a household with one or more CMS students in need of this support. Every contribution makes a difference. You can text "GIVETECH" to 44-321.

Federal Emergency Broadband Benefit

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit will discount up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households. In addition, eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from a participating provider. Information can be found on the Emergency Broadband Benefit website.