Los Angeles schools set limits on classroom screen time

By Daniel Trotta

April 21 (Reuters) – Los Angeles’ school board on Tuesday passed a measure regulating students’ screen time during classroom assignments, reflecting concerns that technology could be linked to a host of ailments including obesity and depression.

The school board of the nation’s second-largest school district approved the measure by a 6-0 vote with one recusal, making the Los Angeles Unified School District among the first in the nation to create systemwide, grade-by-grade limits on classroom screen time.

“Along with the cellphone ban the L.A. Unified School District passed in 2024, we hope to be a national leader on these matters,” said board member Nick Melvoin, who sponsored the measure, through a spokesperson. 

Proponents said the policy was meant to strike a balance between instructional needs and growing concerns that excessive screen exposure is harming students’ attention and social development.

The district, which serves about half a million students, has relied heavily on laptops and tablets since the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 accelerated digital learning.

“While access to and developing skills in technology are critical in a digital world, excessive screen time can be associated with vision problems, increased anxiety and depression, addictive behavior, reduced attention span, difficulty managing emotions, lower academic achievement and weaker cognition according to the American Academy of Pediatrics,” the resolution said.

The measure cited research indicating that children 8 to 11 years old who exceed screen time recommendations are at higher risk for obesity and score lower on cognitive assessments.

The resolution does not immediately ban devices or mandate a uniform time limit. Instead, it calls on district staff to develop age-appropriate guidelines with input from educators, families and public health experts. Until then, existing school-level rules will remain in place.

Skeptics cautioned that screen limits must be implemented carefully to avoid harming students with disabilities who rely on technology.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)