View Motion

WHEREAS:  Excessive screen use can be detrimental to students’ academic engagement and well-being; and

WHEREAS:  Families have a strong and legitimate interest in understanding the amount and nature of screen use their children experience during the school day; and

WHEREAS:  The district currently lacks a consolidated, grade-band analysis of instructional and non-instructional screen time across elementary, upper school, and high school settings; therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the Superintendent will prepare and deliver to the School Committee, no later than the last regular meeting of the 2025–26 school year, a report that:

1. Quantifies average daily and weekly screen time for students in elementary, middle, and high school, distinguishing between instructional and non-instructional use, and including program-specific caveats where appropriate;
2. Assesses whether there are opportunities to reduce screen-time exposure in age-appropriate ways;
3. Provides a recommendation—or a determination that no change is warranted—regarding district-wide or grade-band policies to reduce screen time; and
4. Outlines the anticipated costs, benefits, and operational impacts of any proposed changes.