The resolution will set daily and weekly screen time limits for students based on grade level, though the specific limits for each grade have not yet been determined. It will also prohibit elementary and middle school students from using devices during passing periods, lunch, and recess, and block use of YouTube on district devices. How the district will enforce these restrictions and block YouTube remains unclear, as does what professional development and funding will be provided to teachers to support the shift away from edtech products.
LAUSD is the second-largest district in the nation with more than 520,000 enrolled students, and students in the district have access to Chromebooks and iPads for online learning. The resolution's co-sponsors cited research from the American Academy of Pediatrics linking excessive screen time to increased anxiety and depression, difficulty with emotional regulation, lower academic achievement, and reduced attention span. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has not set a specific screen time limit for adolescents due to a lack of evidence about the benefit of such parameters. The organization has recommended parents introduce screen-free time into their households and encouraged them to seek out high-quality content for their children.
Proponents of the LAUSD school board resolution hope a precedent will be set for the rest of the country. The resolution comes two years after California governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act, which mandates that every school district adopt a policy to limit or prohibit smartphone use by 1 July 2026. How the LAUSD resolution will interact with or differ from the requirements of the Phone-Free School Act is still unknown.
LAUSD superintendent Alberto M Carvalho has been on paid leave amid an FBI investigation, the status and details of which have not been disclosed. According to press conference reports, Carvalho appeared hesitant to impose sweeping screen time restrictions at a September board meeting, expressing concerns about aggressive restrictions potentially eliminating access. School board member and co-sponsor Nick Melvoin emphasized a balanced approach, stating the goal is to establish comprehensive, developmentally grounded screen time limits that put students before screens while recognizing technology as a powerful classroom tool. In an official statement, the coalition Schools Beyond Screens urged support for teachers, noting they will need professional development, additional planning time, and funding for textbooks and tactile learning materials to shift away from ineffective edtech products.