Summary

We are asking District 205 to be a leader in the roll back of 1:1 device use in school.  Numerous school districts around the country have begun removing device usage for young students and enacting strict policies on when and how devices are being used in the classroom.  Learning through 1:1 devices has been proven to be less effective than teacher interaction,  physical books, pencil, and paper.  Along with having a negative effect on learning, device usage can negatively impact development and behavior. 

Our children’s minds are too important to experiment with, especially an experiment that has already shown very negative results.  Until it is proven these products are safe, effective and superior to a human teacher they should have no place in our children’s classrooms.

Our Requests

We urge District 205 to adopt a comprehensive screen time policy that includes the following:

1. Eliminate devices for the youngest students. Remove digital devices from early education through 3rd grade classrooms except where required for mandated assessments. Children at this stage of development need hands-on, in-person learning experiences above all else.

2. Set specific, enforceable screen time limits by grade level. Establish clear daily and weekly maximums for student screen use on district devices, with less screen time for younger students. Screen time should be prioritized only when it provides educational value that cannot be replicated offline.

3. Reduce 1:1 device programs in elementary school. Transition to shared laptop carts and computer labs for grades 4-5. Permanent 1:1 device assignment for young children is not supported by research and contributes to excessive cumulative screen exposure.

4. Encourage paper, physical textbooks, and off-screen homework.  Research consistently shows better comprehension and retention with print materials. Policies should actively encourage analog alternatives, especially for homework at the elementary and middle school level.

5. Block non-educational platforms on district devices. Prohibit student access to YouTube, social media, and non-instructional gaming platforms like Roblox during the school day. Teachers may retain the ability to use appropriate video content for instruction, but unsupervised student access has no place in the classroom.

6. Ban device use during unstructured time.  Prohibit device use during passing periods, lunch, and recess for elementary and middle school students. These moments of unstructured time are critical for social development and should not be dominated by screens.

7. Provide parents with transparency and  meaningful opt-out rights. Share weekly reports on children's screen activity on district devices. Allow families to opt out of specific EdTech programs -- not just blanket consent forms -- and ensure alternative learning methods are always available.  Allow parents to opt out of bringing instructional technology home for middle school and high school.

8.  Ensure communications for sports and clubs go through approved channels ParentSquare or email.  Disallow communications through social media channels (i.e. Snapchat, Instagram etc) for sports teams and clubs.

9. Evaluate all EdTech contracts for educational value and student data privacy. Require independent review of EdTech products. Do not rely solely on vendor-supplied research. Ensure student data is protected and that contracts include accountability mechanisms.