Petition to: Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Council, Deputy Mayor for Education (DME), and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Washington, DC families are being asked to trust that increased investments in EdTech will improve learning outcomes for our children. However, the evidence is clear: excessive time on screens can harm learning.

Washington families have watched as our district has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on hardware and software, creating classrooms filled with devices. The results of these investments, while difficult to acknowledge, may be detrimental to the social, emotional, and academic development of our children.

Across major international assessments, including PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS, higher levels of screen-based learning are consistently associated with declines in academic performance. Students who rely heavily on digital devices often struggle with focus, comprehension, and long-term retention.

At the same time, decades of cognitive science confirm what many educators and families already know: students learn better through brain, hand, and paper. We have evolved to learn through human relationships, not through screens.

Reading physical texts, taking handwritten notes, and engaging in screen-free study practices lead to deeper understanding, stronger memory, and improved critical thinking. These are not preferences. They are evidence-based foundations of effective learning.

Yet classrooms across the District are increasingly dominated by screens. This shift is not neutral. It carries real consequences. The digital divide has tipped, and now reflects excessive screen time rather than limited access.

Why this matters

Academic Impact

Students are experiencing reduced comprehension, increased distraction, and diminished retention in screen-heavy learning environments.

Cognitive Development

Overreliance on digital tools is displacing proven methods that build literacy, attention span, and analytical thinking.

Mental & Physical Health

Excessive screen time is linked to rising anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and decreased physical activity. Many students now spend both school days and homework time on devices.

We are pro-child and pro-educator

We want our children to learn technology skills, taught intentionally by teachers, not develop screen dependency by default. Technology has a place in education, but it must be used developmentally appropriately and backed by evidence. Technology must never replace or diminish the role of teachers.

DC’s educators are the most important investment we can make. Yet too often, significant funding is directed toward digital platforms and contracts instead of:

• Classroom resources

• Teacher support and retention

• Smaller class sizes

• Enrichment and hands-on learning

Families and educators alike are asking a critical question:

Are EdTech investments strengthening our schools, or diverting resources away from what students and teachers truly need?

We deserve transparency and accountability

Families, educators, and taxpayers deserve clear answers:

• How can we prioritize funding for students and teachers over private Big Tech?

• How can we return to evidence-based methods that empower teachers and support student health and well-being?

• How can we cultivate resilient, critical thinkers?

• How can we teach our children to become ethical creators, not passive consumers, of technology?

Our call to action

We call on DC leaders, including the Mayor, DC Council, Deputy Mayor for Education, and OSSE, to:

• Ensure education funding prioritizes students and teachers first, including classroom resources, staffing, and instructional supports

• Rebalance investments toward evidence-based, low-tech practices such as outdoor learning, play, peer collaboration, handwriting, paper-based learning, and teacher-led instruction

• Establish clear, developmentally appropriate limits on screen use in classrooms

• Require full transparency and accountability for all EdTech spending, contracts, and outcomes

• Protect and elevate the teaching profession, ensuring technology supports, not replaces, educators

• Center student well-being, including mental health, attention, and sleep, in all education decisions

• Remove any monetary or other incentives that encourage mandatory screen use

• Ensure any use of media is completely ad-free and contains no dark patterns or gamification

• Protect student privacy through data transparency and clear opt-out processes

Our children get one childhood. One education.

We cannot afford to experiment at their expense.

A truly equitable education system is not defined by how much technology it uses, but by how well it supports students, teachers, and authentic learning. It is time to rebalance.

Join DC parents, educators, and community members in calling for a smarter, healthier, and more accountable approach to education.

Sometimes, the best technology is a pencil.

Sign this petition to protect learning, support teachers, and ensure education funding truly serves our children.