Overview
- The Los Angeles Unified School District board approved a policy that imposes age‑based caps on school screen time and shifts school devices to an opt‑in model rather than automatically issuing them.
- The rules set no school screens for children before second grade, limit middle school students to six hours of screen use per week, and cap high school students at 10 hours per week including homework.
- Officials say the policy was shaped by teacher feedback and a district survey in which more than 90 percent of teachers reported higher classroom engagement and fewer mental‑health challenges after reducing phone use.
- The district will allow exceptions for computer‑intensive courses, state testing, and students with disabilities and says it will not use punitive tracking tools such as teacher logs to enforce limits.
- Advocates and equity critics warn that making devices opt‑in could widen the digital divide and are pressing the district for safeguards on device distribution, vendor contracts, and support for families who rely on school internet and hardware.