Balanced Classroom Technology and Screen Time Act

Task Forces: Education and Workforce Development

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Prior to task force meetings, ALEC posts these legislative member-submitted draft model policies to our website. The draft model policies are then discussed, debated, and voted on by ALEC task force members. Policies that receive final approval by legislators on the ALEC Board of Directors become official ALEC model policy. Draft model policies that fail to become official ALEC model policy are removed from the website.

Summary

The Balanced Classroom Technology and Screen Time Act requires each local education agency (LEA) to adopt a policy for balanced, age-appropriate K-12 technology use. It prioritizes teacher-led instruction, print, handwriting, discussion, and hands-on learning—especially in elementary grades—while limiting passive, excessive, and non-instructional screen time. LEAs must also notify parents of such a policy annually, provide information on the policy and student use of digital devices to parents on request, and employ safeguards to prevent the use of digital devices for social media/entertainment or non-educational purposes. The Act prohibits blanket bans and protects assessments, interventions, disability services and assistive technology, teacher use, approved technology courses, and virtual instruction. A state advisory group reviews implementation and recommends updates at least every two years.

Model Policy

Section 1. Definitions.
(a) “Digital device” means electronic hardware such as a computer, tablet, laptop, or similar electronic device used by a student in a classroom or other school setting.
(b) “Instructional technology” means software, digital curricula, learning platforms, assessment tools, and related applications that are used by a student, designed for educational use, and used to teach, practice, assess, or monitor student progress on concepts aligned to state standards.
(c) “Local education agency” or “LEA” means a school district or other public-school entity that is subject to the control and supervision of the [insert appropriate state education authority], not including charter schools.
(d) “Screen time” means student use of a digital device for non-instructional purposes, including entertainment, social media, or content not assigned, selected, or approved by an educator, including content a student selects within instructional technology approved by the LEA or local school. Screen time does not include use of instructional technology for educational purposes.
(e) “Social media” means a form of interactive electronic communication through an internet website or application by which a user creates a service-specific profile to connect with other users for communication or content sharing.


Section 2. Required Policy.
(a) Each LEA serving students in any of grades kindergarten through twelve must adopt and implement a policy governing the age-appropriate and instructional use of digital devices by students to minimize non-instructional and passive screen time while preserving effective, developmentally appropriate instructional uses.
(b) A policy adopted under this section must:

  1. Emphasize that teacher-led instruction, print or hard-copy textbooks and materials, handwriting, classroom discussion, and hands-on learning materials remain important components of foundational learning, especially in kindergarten through grade five;
  2. Require that instructional technology in public schools be used for educationally valuable purposes, be implemented in an age-appropriate manner, be aligned to state academic standards, and be compliant with applicable student privacy and data protection laws;
  3. Minimize non-instructional and passive screen time during the school day by including age-appropriate usage strategies for digital device use, along with strategies to reduce passive, excessive, or non-educational use of such devices;
  4. Include grade-band guidance for regular breaks from sustained digital device use and the use of offline instructional activities;
  5. Require regular review of instructional technology to ensure compliance with this Act;
  6. Require annual notice to parents or guardians describing the policy and the categories of digital curriculum and assessment tools used by the LEA;
  7. Establish a process through which a parent or guardian may request additional information regarding the digital devices and instructional technologies used in the student’s classroom and their educational purpose;
  8. Provide guidance and training to educators on balancing print, hands-on, and digital instructional modalities across the school day while promoting educator modeling of appropriate and responsible technology use; and
  9. Employ reasonable safeguards to ensure that digital devices and instructional technology do not:
    • i. Replace explicit teacher-led instruction in foundational literacy and numeracy in grades kindergarten through five, including phonics, handwriting, discussion-based learning, and manipulative-based mathematics where such methods are developmentally appropriate, provided that supplemental practice, intervention, and adaptive learning tools used alongside teacher-led instruction shall not be considered a replacement of such instruction; or
    • ii. Expose students during the school day to social media, entertainment platforms, or distracting features unrelated to approved instruction, except where specifically authorized for educational use.

(c) In addition to the requirements found in subsection B of this section, a policy developed under this section must also reflect a developmental progression in technology expectations, including:

  1. Elementary (K-5): purposeful, developmentally appropriate use selected and overseen by educators, with duration and instructional format responsive to learning objectives and student needs.
  2. Middle (6-8): explicit instruction in self-regulation and digital habits, with screens serving clear learning or organizational purposes and supporting creation, research, and collaboration under increased structure rather than passive consumption.
  3. High school (9-12): greater student autonomy paired with clear expectations, accountability, and reflection, with screens supporting creation, research, collaboration, and academic organization rather than passive consumption.

(d) No policy adopted by an LEA under this section may impose a blanket prohibition on digital learning, digital curriculum, digital assessments, or other instructional technology when used for educational purposes.


Section 3. Exclusions.
(a) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit, impair, or materially restrict the use of digital devices, digital curriculum, digital assessments, or instructional technology for the following purposes:

  1. State or federally required assessments, universal screeners, benchmark assessments, summative assessments, dyslexia screenings, diagnostic tools, formative assessments, interim assessments, and progress monitoring;
  2. Instructional intervention, remediation, acceleration, tutoring, and adaptive learning tools selected by educators or schools;
  3. Services, supports, and accommodations required by an individualized education program, a Section 504 plan, or other applicable disability law, including assistive technology;
  4. Teacher planning, preparation, instructional delivery, grading, and review of student performance data;
  5. Approved computer science, digital literacy, or other technology courses approved by the LEA consistent with [insert applicable state education authority] guidance; or
  6. Public virtual schools, approved online courses, home instruction, and remote or hybrid instructional days authorized by an LEA.

(b) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit or discourage an educator or LEA from using instructional technology for periods reasonably necessary to achieve legitimate instructional objectives, administer assessments, provide interventions or remediation, deliver specially designed instruction or accommodations required by law, or otherwise meet documented educational needs. Grade-band guidance and developmental progression expectations adopted under subsections B(d) and C of section 2 are advisory and shall not limit the use of instructional technology for purposes described in subsection A of this section.
(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to invalidate, prohibit, or discourage the use of instructional materials, digital curriculum, instructional technology, or assessments that have been lawfully adopted, approved, selected, or procured pursuant to state or local law.
(d) Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to establish a preference for print or digital instructional materials. Instructional materials should be selected based on their educational quality, developmental appropriateness, and alignment with applicable academic standards.


Section 4. Public Transparency and Review.


(a) The [insert appropriate state education authority] shall convene or designate an advisory group of fifteen (15) members, including educators, school leaders, parents, child development experts, and other representatives with expertise in curriculum, assessment, accessibility, educational technology, adaptive learning, and evaluating educational outcomes. Members of the advisory group are appointed in the following manner:

  1. Five (5) members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House;
  2. Five (5) members shall be appointed by the Senate President; and
  3. Five (5) members shall be appointed by the [insert appropriate state education authority].

(b) No later than one (1) year after the effective date of this Act, and at least every two (2) years thereafter, the advisory group shall submit a report to the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Chair of the House Education Committee, and Chair of the Senate Education Committee that reviews implementation of LEA screen time policies and recommends updates to the policy guidance under section 2 of this Act. The review required by this subsection shall consider available evidence concerning student learning, accessibility, instructional effectiveness, student and family experience, educator workload, and implementation costs.
(c) Each LEA shall make its technology use policy publicly available on its website and shall provide policy materials to parents annually. The [insert appropriate state education authority] shall require periodic reporting from LEAs on the adoption and implementation of policies required under section 2 of this Act. Such reporting shall be made in the aggregate, shall rely on information LEAs already collect, and shall not require the collection of new student-level data or impose reporting obligations on providers of instructional technology.
(d) The advisory group established under this section shall terminate on [insert date], unless extended by the legislature.


Section 5. General Provisions
(a) Each LEA shall adopt the policy required under section 2 of this Act no later than the beginning of the [insert] school year following the effective date of this Act.
(b) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to create a private right of action against an LEA, an educator, or a provider of instructional technology.
(c) If any provision of this Act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.
(d) This Act shall take effect on [insert date].