Screen Time

Photo illustration of an elementary-aged Caucasian boy with outstretched legs and a laptop on his lap. He is sitting on a very large cellphone propped up by four orange construction cones. The background is a montage of overlapping rectangle shapes with some ghosted images of young elementary students using a variety of tech (headphones and cellphones).
Photo illustration by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva
Ed-Tech Policy Opinion Is the Backlash Against Tech in Schools Going Too Far?
As schools rethink their relationship with tech, there are questions they should be asking.
Lina Eroh, July 6, 2026
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5 min read
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Attendees gather for the ISTELive 26 + ASCD Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla., on June 29, 2026. Teachers and administrators at the show said there needs to be a balance between tech- and non-tech-based strategies in schools.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Classroom Technology Tech-Savvy Educators Weigh In on 'Techlash'
Teachers and administrators attending the ISTELive 26 + ASCD Annual Conference were asked for their takes on major tech themes.
Alyson Klein, Lauraine Langreo & Arianna Prothero, June 30, 2026
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1 min read
Four students sit at a table working on laptops in a bright classroom or library setting.
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Attendees move between sessions at the ISTELive 26 + ASCD Annual Conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on June 29, 2026. The backlash emerging from many school communities about tech's role in classrooms has been a major undercurrent at the show, the nation's largest ed-tech conference.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Classroom Technology There's a New Pledge for Schools to Show They're Deliberate About Tech Use
ISTE and GreatSchools.org are urging schools to prove they're using tech in a "safe and purposeful" way.
Alyson Klein, June 29, 2026
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2 min read
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A middle school history class in Sapulpa, Okla., uses whiteboards and worksheets during a tech-free day on April 7, 2026. EdWeek Research Center survey data show that relatively few schools are pairing back their investment in tech, despite pressure from some parents.
September Dawn Bottoms for Education Week
Classroom Technology Are Schools Actually Scaling Back Tech in Response to a Rising Backlash?
An EdWeek Research Center survey asked educators about efforts to pull back on digital tools.
Sean Cavanagh & Jessica Cuellar, June 29, 2026
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2 min read
LuAnn Oliver's son, who is in 6th grade, demonstrates how he uses an iPad for his classes during a May 9, 2026 gathering at Oliver's house in Arlington, Va. A group of parents were there to discuss ways to encourage schools to limit screen time. Concerns about the overuse of technology in schools are rising across the country.
LuAnn Oliver's son, who is in 6th grade, demonstrates how he uses an iPad for his classes during a May 9, 2026, gathering at Oliver's house in Arlington, Va. A group of parents were there to discuss ways to encourage schools to limit screen time. Concerns about the overuse of technology in schools are rising across the country.
Kevin Wolf/AP
Classroom Technology Q&A How Schools Can Limit Screen Time, But Still Use Tech Effectively
A district leader discusses how adolescent brain development and screen use affect learning.
Lauraine Langreo, June 23, 2026
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5 min read
A student uses a cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy, Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif.
A student uses a cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy in San Mateo, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2024.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
Student Well-Being & Movement 'Anxious Generation' Author Jonathan Haidt and Others Tackle Tech Overuse
An EdWeek forum explored creative solutions to encourage students to move away from screens and devices.
Jennifer Vilcarino, June 18, 2026
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4 min read
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Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Rewiring of Childhood With Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt, Catherine Price, and Adam Swinyard join Peter DeWitt on how to get students off devices and back to the basics of childhood.
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June 17, 2026
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, calls for a ban on screens and limited artificial intelligence use in schools at the National Press Club in Washington, on May 27, 2026.
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, calls for a ban on screens and limited artificial intelligence use in schools during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, on May 27, 2026.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Teachers' Union's AI Plan Seeks 'Big Tech Tax,' Elementary Screen Bans
The American Federation of Teachers launches push to limit AI-based tools for students.
Sarah D. Sparks, May 27, 2026
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4 min read
A student holds their cell phone during class at Bel Air High School in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024.
A student holds their cell phone during class at a high school in Bel Air, Md., on Jan. 25, 2024. The U.S. Surgeon General's office recommends schools invest in physical textbooks and put a premium on paper-and-pencil classroom assignments and curriculum materials at all grade levels.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Trump's Surgeon General's Office Advises Schools to Limit Screen Time
Schools should emphasize paper-and-pencil assignments, Trump administration recommends.
Alyson Klein, May 20, 2026
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4 min read
Image of a student using their phone in bed at night.
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Classroom Technology This School District Wants Students to Turn Off Their Phones and Sleep
Parents and students are learning about the importance of device-free bedrooms.
Alyson Klein, May 5, 2026
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6 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Classroom Technology Opinion What If Ed Tech Does More Harm Than Good?
An influential new book delves into the research on how ed tech affects learning.
Rick Hess, May 5, 2026
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10 min read
Vector illustration of two young elementary students wearing bookbags and holding hands as they enter into a mobile phone with smaller phones connecting in the atmosphere around him. All on a dark blue background with the phones lit up.
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Student Well-Being & Movement Q&A Strict Screen-Time Limits? Pediatricians Make Case for Flexibility
A pediatrician who helped craft new screen-time guidelines explains why flexibility matters.
Arianna Prothero, April 29, 2026
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4 min read
Photos of board members decorate the walls inside LAUSD headquarters Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.
Photos of board members decorate the walls inside LAUSD headquarters Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Board of Education recently voted to limit screen time in classrooms.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Ed-Tech Policy Nation's 2nd Largest District Moves to Limit Student Screen Use
LAUSD will limit classroom screen time, emphasizing quality learning over device use.
Lauraine Langreo & Arianna Prothero, April 24, 2026
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5 min read