Read the full article on KETV 7
Los Angeles’ education board has voted to restrict student screen time in classrooms, encouraging more pen and paper assignments instead.The groundbreaking resolution makes the Los Angeles Unified School District the first major U.S. school system to do so.The resolution, which passed Tuesday, 6-0, would require staff to develop screen-time policies based on grade level, setting maximum daily and weekly screen time limits delineated by grade.Above video: Screen time advice for parents — not just kidsIt also bans screen time for students in first grade and under.The resolution also will eliminate the use of student-owned digital devices like cell phones during passing periods, lunch and recess, with limited exceptions for teacher-approved school work.The resolution cites research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, saying “excessive screen time can be associated with vision problems, increased anxiety and depression, addictive behavior, reduced attention span, difficulty managing emotions, lower academic achievement, and weaker cognition.”You can read the full resolution here. The resolution does acknowledge benefits of some screen time as well, saying it’s important for developing skills in technology that are critical in a digital world.The district’s vote follows months of pressure from a parent group called Schools Beyond Screens, which spoke out about the negative impacts of increased screen time.Pending board approval, the new policy will go into effect for the 2026-27 school year.The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest district in the nation, serving about half a million students. Proponents of the resolution hope the passage will set a precedent for the rest of the nation.
Los Angeles’ education board has voted to restrict student screen time in classrooms, encouraging more pen and paper assignments instead.
The groundbreaking resolution makes the Los Angeles Unified School District the first major U.S. school system to do so.
Advertisement
The resolution, which passed Tuesday, 6-0, would require staff to develop screen-time policies based on grade level, setting maximum daily and weekly screen time limits delineated by grade.
Above video: Screen time advice for parents — not just kids
It also bans screen time for students in first grade and under.
The resolution also will eliminate the use of student-owned digital devices like cell phones during passing periods, lunch and recess, with limited exceptions for teacher-approved school work.
The resolution cites research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, saying “excessive screen time can be associated with vision problems, increased anxiety and depression, addictive behavior, reduced attention span, difficulty managing emotions, lower academic achievement, and weaker cognition.”
You can read the full resolution here.
The resolution does acknowledge benefits of some screen time as well, saying it’s important for developing skills in technology that are critical in a digital world.
The district’s vote follows months of pressure from a parent group called Schools Beyond Screens, which spoke out about the negative impacts of increased screen time.
Pending board approval, the new policy will go into effect for the 2026-27 school year.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest district in the nation, serving about half a million students.
Proponents of the resolution hope the passage will set a precedent for the rest of the nation.
