Why some schools are cutting back on the technology they spent billions on – Macomb Daily
Why some schools are cutting back on the technology they spent billions on – Macomb Daily
Publish Date: 2026-05-23 06:27:00
Source Domain: www.macombdaily.com
By Lauren LumpkinTHE WASHINGTON POST
School districts spent billions on technology during the pandemic, but now some states are limiting in-school screen time because of concerns about its impact on children.
Nationwide schools invested at least $15 billion and possibly as much as $35 billion from federal pandemic relief funds on laptops, learning software and other technology between 2020 and 2024, according to an estimate by the Edunomics Lab, an education think tank.
By last school year, 88 percent of public schools reported in a federal survey they had given every child a laptop, tablet or similar device.
Now, some states and school districts are walking back their technology use following pressure from parents who claim too much in-school screen time has zapped children’s attention spans and left them worse off academically.
At least a dozen states introduced or adopted policies this year that attempt to regulate screen time in schools – from prescribing limits to allowing families to opt out of virtual instruction.
The scrutiny comes amid a reckoning with the ubiquitous – and potentially dangerous – role of technology in children’s lives.
UNESCO, UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union issued guidelines this year for digital learning that said online education programs have “introduced important innovations” but can also treat students as “consumers” and expose them to health, safety and privacy risks.
Curriculum Associates, maker of the popular testing and instructional platform i-Ready, is being sued over claims it unlawfully collects and shares student data without proper consent. (The company denies selling student data and said the claims are “legally meritless.”) Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has faced lawsuits that sought abatement for the public, including schools, claiming the company designed its platforms to be addictive for children.
“I think this is a moment when we are all…
