LAUSD Approves Student Screen Time Limits in Classrooms

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education approved a resolution on Tuesday to limit student screen time in classrooms, marking the first major U.S. school system to establish systemwide, grade-specific guidelines on device usage. The measure, passed by a 6-0 vote with one recusal, directs district staff to develop detailed policies by the 2026-27 school year, serving as a significant shift from the heavy reliance on laptops and tablets that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution prohibits screen use entirely for students in first grade and younger, while setting limits for older grades, such as no more than one hour per day or five hours per week for third through fifth graders. It also bans device use during passing periods, lunch and recess for elementary and middle school students, with exceptions only for teacher-approved work. Officials are tasked with tracking daily and weekly screen time, reporting it to parents and conducting annual surveys of students, staff and families to refine the rules. The policy encourages teachers to prioritize paper-and-pen assignments and considers restricting access to noneducational platforms like YouTube,...