Photos of board members decorate the walls inside LAUSD headquarters on, Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Board of Education recently voted to limit screen time in classrooms. / Damian Dovarganes/AP
Los Angeles, CA — The second-largest school district in the country will scale back classroom screen use under a resolution the Los Angeles Board of Education has approved unanimously.
The resolution requires the district to develop a screen time policy for implementation in the 2026-27 school year. It should include maximum in-school screen time limits by grade level, eliminating student use of digital devices for early education through 1st grade, and prohibiting student-led use of YouTube or other video streaming platforms.
“We know that tech is not going away and can be a powerful tool in the classroom,” said Nick Melvoin, the lead sponsor of the resolution, during the board meeting. “This is not about going backwards. This is about rethinking screen time in schools to ensure we are doing what actually helps students learn best.”
The move comes more than a year after a group of Los Angeles school district parents, teachers, and students began pushing for more intentional, less passive technology use in classrooms. The coalition raised concerns about how excessive amounts of screen time can harm students’ academic performance, as well as their physical, social-emotional, and mental health.
Schools Beyond Screens, the parent coalition that advocated for the resolution, applauded the April 21 passage of the measure.
“The board has clearly signaled the beginning of a new era; now is the time for a safe and science-backed approach to classroom technology, one that is not guided by Big Tech talking points,” the group said in a press release.
The policy shift comes as artificial intelligence is challenging how teachers manage assignments and assess student learning.
For Sandra Martinez Roe, who has a 4th grade student attending the district and is a member of Schools Beyond Screens, the growing use of generative artificial intelligence in schools is one of her biggest concerns.
“It’s not regulated, it’s not properly vetted, and it’s still in its infancy,” she said. “I don’t think it’s the right way to spend our money.”
Instead, the district should invest in human support systems, Martinez Roe said.
“We need more PSAs [pupil services administrators]. We need more nurses, therapists, teachers assistants,” she said. “We need humans. We don’t need computers. We don’t need AI.”
LAUSD’s new stance on digital devices is noteworthy for a district that has undertaken ambitious tech initiatives in the past, with some high-profile stumbles.
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By: Lauraine Langreo & Arianna Prothero
