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The Los Angeles Unified School District voted Tuesday to limit students’ screen time.
The resolution to limit students’ use of laptops and tablets in class and incentivize pen-and-paper assignments passed 6-0, and mandates that the district to develop a screen time policy for each grade and subject, bar students in first grade and younger from using devices, evaluate education technology contracts, and make clear the steps parents need to take in order to opt their child out of using technology at school, NBC News reported.
“The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education approved a resolution today to limit student screen time across the district,” the district said in a press release. “Building on last year’s cell phone ban, the proposal calls for comprehensive, developmentally appropriate guardrails on instructional technology for all grade levels, including key provisions to eliminate use of student devices for youngest learners, prohibit student-led use of YouTube and other video streaming platforms, and review and present a public report of all existing classroom technology contracts.”
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The Los Angeles Unified School District has voted to limit students’ screen time. (StockPlanets/Getty Images)
The resolution came from Board Member Nick Melvoin, a Democrat who has served on the board since 2017.
“During COVID, student devices became a necessary lifeline, and seemingly overnight, screen time limits were shelved to ensure every child had access to the technology they needed to continue learning and stay connected with their teachers and peers. Our charge now is to recalibrate, evaluate the role of educational technology in the classroom, and balance access to that technology with the kinds of instruction and interaction we know help students thrive,” Melvoin in the press release.
It was co-sponsored by Board Members Karla Griego, Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Kelly Gonez, Board Vice President Rocío Rivas, and Student Board Member Jerry Yang.
Ortiz Franklin said in the press release that when the district is “intentional about how our students engage with technology, we invest in their focus, their health, and our future.”
Ortiz Franklin added in the press release that “providing guidelines for our students affords our youngest learners the space for human interaction and play to develop foundational cognitive and social skills and gives our oldest learners opportunities for meaningful connection and collaboration within their community. I am proud to co-sponsor this resolution that balances how and when we use technology in our classrooms, preparing our students to be Ready for the World.”
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The resolution, which limits the usage of laptops and tablets in class and incentivize pen-and-paper assignments, passed 6-0. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
In the press release, Griego called the move “long overdue.” She added, “As a cosponsor, I am honored to cosponsor this resolution that establishes clear, developmentally appropriate guidelines around screen time and the use of single-use devices in our schools to ensure a balanced approach to technology that helps our students learn, grow and thrive.”
Gonez, another board member, said that, “Technology can be a powerful tool, but too much screen time has real harmful effects on our students.”
She added that the resolution “will ensure we are prioritizing important skills and learning experiences for students, while protecting their childhoods and well-being by setting research-based screen time limits.”
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School board member Kelly Gonez said, “Technology can be a powerful tool, but too much screen time has real harmful effects on our students.” (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
In the press release, acting Superintendent Andrés E. Chait called the move necessary for the current technology climate.
“As we continue to navigate the evolving role of technology in education, our priority remains ensuring it is used in ways that support high-quality instruction, student engagement, and overall well-being,” Chait said. “Technology is an important tool that can expand access and enhance learning, but it is most effective when used purposefully and guided by educators.”
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Gonez stated that the resolution “will ensure we are prioritizing important skills and learning experiences for students, while protecting their childhoods and well-being by setting research-based screen time limits.” (Michael Arterburn/iStock)
According to an August report from Ballotpedia, 26 states have enacted laws or policies requiring local school boards to restrict or prohibit cellphone use in K-12 classrooms, with 22 adopted in 2025 alone.
Digital reached out to the Los Angeles Unified School District for comment.
