Philadelphia: Public school districts across the Philadelphia region are reducing technology use among younger students, with several schools ending or limiting one-to-one laptop and tablet programmes amid growing concerns over classroom screen time.
The Colonial School District has stopped elementary students from taking laptops home, while Tredyffrin/Easttown is no longer assigning iPads to kindergartners and has restricted tablet use at home across its elementary schools.
Schools Rethink Classroom Technology
Methacton has shifted kindergarten and first-grade students from individual devices to shared Chromebooks used for centre-based activities.
Phoenixville Area has ended its one-to-one device programme from kindergarten through third grade.
In Wallingford-Swarthmore, kindergarten to second-grade students will take fewer online assessments, while students through fifth grade are restricted from searching or browsing YouTube.
Some parents have welcomed the changes, saying reduced screen use could help teachers lead lessons more directly and minimise classroom distractions.
Others argue the impact may be limited because devices remain common in many classrooms and want schools to review technology use in higher grades as well.
