By Joe Fisher, WRAL multimedia journalist, & Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter

Apex, N.C. — Classes in the Wake County Public School System started online more than three weeks ago, but thousands of students still lack the necessary technology.

Some 16,000 are still waiting for a Chromebook laptop, while 7,000 need a Wi-Fi hotspot to access the internet.

The district distributed more devices Tuesday at Apex High School, Enloe High School and Knightdale High School, where parents waited in long lines.

“I got in and out in just under an hour,” said Erin Yost, whose son is in kindergarten.

“I was actually quite impressed with how well the line was moving,” said Clay Lohnes, who has twins in first grade and another child in kindergarten. “We’re just making the best of the situation, and we also understand the county is doing the best they can, too.”

A planned distribution last Friday was canceled after an equipment failure at the Chromebook supplier caused a delay.

District officials said they have purchased all 50,000 Chromebooks needed to meet demand, but they’re being delivered in smaller batches for storage and security reasons.

A shipment of about 5,000 devices arrived over the weekend, and officials said they expect more to arrive by Friday, when the next distribution round will be held at Apex High, Enloe High and Knightdale High, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I wish they had the devices sooner, because I think that would have been better for them to get used to the device and to be able to do that,” Lohnes said. “We’ve been doing what we can. My twins are pulling double duty with the computer that we have at home.”

Currently, in order for teachers to take attendance, they have to have a two-way communication with students. That could look different for each student – a virtual classroom meeting, an email, a phone call or turning in a daily assignment – depending on their technology access.

Superintendent Cathy Moore said that “not every student who requested a device is without a device.” Because of this, the school board doesn’t have numbers on how many students actually lack laptops.

Anyone who requested a device before Aug. 31 can pick it up Friday, officials said. More pick-up times will be scheduled next week, officials said, but the dates haven’t been decided.

“We’re excited to start the year with virtual learning and just hoping for the best,” Lohnes said.