LA Schools Roll Out New Screen-Time Rules as Thousands of Students Return to Class
In Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), over half a million students were back in school Wednesday with new guidelines that restrict the use of digital devices, as the district aims to focus more on reading, writing, problem-solving and other learning activities that help children grow.
The policy, which was adopted by the LAUSD Board of Education in June, eliminates the routine use of digital devices for students in early education, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, unless in specific limited circumstances. Daily screen time is limited to 20 minutes to one hour per day from 2nd grade, depending on grade level.
The limitations are part of a larger initiative to establish learning spaces that do not replace other experiences that are significant to children’s learning development.
The district will also restrict access to YouTube, social media and streaming platforms, except when approved by teachers for learning purposes. Students will no longer be automatically issued devices to take home, but families can request devices.
Putting Learning Beyond the Screen
The policy supports teachers to provide homework which includes reading, writing, problem solving and hands-on activities that can be done without the use of digital devices.
Exceptions include students with disabilities whose Individualised Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan necessitates access to technology, students enrolled in the LAUSD Virtual Academy, and state and district assessments.
The revisions are part of a continuing discussion of ways to integrate technology with children’s need for diverse learning experiences in the school.
Reducing the amount of “recreational” or “unnecessary” screen time does not mean that technology is being taken out of education.Reducing the amount of “recreational” or “unnecessary” screen time does not mean that technology is being taken out of education for child development. Rather, the challenge is to ensure that digital tools are used to supplement, not supplant, children’s need to read, write, move, create and interact with others in person.
As the new school year begins, LAUSD’s policy provides a broad-scale experiment to determine if a more equitable use of technology in the classroom can enhance the learning and development of children.
