U.S. schools reconsider classroom screen time as debate over learning and health intensifies

In schools across the United States today, most students are provided with digital devices such as Chromebooks or iPads for classroom use. Around 88% of public schools issue one-to-one devices to students, including children as young as five. Supporters argue that this helps prepare students for a world that is increasingly dependent on digital technology. However, as concerns about the effects of excessive screen exposure grow, resistance to screen use in schools has also increased.

In recent years, most U.S. states have introduced bans or restrictions on cellphone use in K–12 schools. More recently, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second-largest school district in the country, approved a policy aimed at reducing screen time in classrooms. Under this plan, students in first grade and below will no longer use screens during class, while older students will face limits on how much screen time they can have during the school day.

“This is a moment of change. It feels like the pendulum is swinging back,” said pediatrician Cori Cross, who helped develop the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines on children and digital media and advised on the LAUSD policy. She noted that both parents and school leaders are increasingly recognizing concerns about screen use.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends setting boundaries around screen time, particularly for younger children. However, researchers are still working to understand how different types of screen use affect children’s health and development. The term “screen time” itself covers a wide range of activities, each with different effects. For example, mindless scrolling on social media is very different from playing interactive educational games or conducting research for schoolwork.

Studies suggest that excessive use of certain types of screen media can be linked to anxiety, depression, reduced attention span, difficulties with emotional regulation, lower academic performance, and other cognitive challenges.

The LAUSD policy references this research, but experts argue that these findings may not apply to educational technology used in classrooms. According to University of Michigan researcher Elizabeth Keren-Kolb, most studies on “excessive screen time” refer to long periods of passive entertainment use, not structured learning activities in school.

She explains that classroom tasks such as writing assignments, researching information, or collaborating on projects through digital tools are fundamentally different from passive consumption like watching videos or gaming. Research has not shown that educational screen use has the same negative effects on learning or health.

In fact, well-designed educational technologies with clear learning goals can improve children’s skills in subjects like math and reading. Interactive tools that encourage exploration and creativity are especially effective, while poorly designed apps that rely on repetition are less beneficial.

Rebecca Silverman, an education expert at Stanford University, adds that effective digital learning tools can be adapted to individual student needs. Successful programs often follow a structured progression from simpler to more advanced skills, helping students build knowledge step by step.

However, not all educational apps meet these standards. Silverman notes that the challenge for educators is to identify which tools are truly useful and to avoid those that are not.

Both Silverman and Keren-Kolb caution that simply limiting overall screen time in schools may not improve learning outcomes. Silverman describes such policies as overly broad and suggests that more precise approaches would be more effective.

Some school districts require teachers to use digital platforms but do not set strict maximum limits on screen use. For example, LAUSD encourages the use of the i-Ready platform, where students typically spend about 90 minutes per week working on personalized lessons in math and language arts.

Keren-Kolb points out that after the pandemic, many teachers have faced increased pressure to use technology in ways they may not fully support. She argues that strict requirements can limit teachers’ ability to make decisions based on what works best for their students and may increase stress in the classroom.

Parents also express concerns, according to Cross. Some families feel restricted because they are unable to opt out of school-required digital tools, making it harder to manage screen use at home or ensure online safety in the way they prefer.

“We worry about our children,” Cross said. “We want to be able to monitor their safety, not just hope for it. Until those concerns are addressed, many parents are uncomfortable with these devices being so central in their children’s education.”