In the US, Los Angeles’ education board has voted to restrict student screen time in classrooms, making it the first major US school system to do so. The resolution requires staff to develop screen-time policies based on grade level and bans first-grade and younger students from using devices. It comes as the district, which serves about half a million students, sought to reduce its reliance on tablets and laptops, which was prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nick Melvoin, a board member who brought forward the resolution, said student devices were a lifeline in 2020, but that years later, it’s time that we reset. The restrictions, which are expected to be implemented in the next school year, will ban YouTube and other video-streaming platforms on school-issued devices.
The resolution cited research indicating that children aged 8 to 11 who exceed screen-time guidelines are at higher risk for obesity and depressive symptoms and have scored lower on cognitive assessments. It follows a measure the district passed in 2024 banning the use of mobile phones and social media in classrooms.
