Los Angeles becomes the first major school district to require screen time limits

EducationLos Angeles becomes the first major school district to require screen time limitsThe resolution followed pressure from parents who said their children developed unhealthy habits after schools required them to use iPads and laptops every day.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleLAUSD votes to restrict screen time at school01:39Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 21, 2026, 7:13 PM EDTBy Tyler KingkadeThe Los Angeles Unified School District’s board voted Tuesday to restrict students’ use of laptops and tablets in class and encourage pen-and-paper assignments instead, making it the first major American school system to do so.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The sweeping resolution, which passed 6-0 with one recusal, requires the district to create a screen time policy for each grade and subject, prohibit students in first grade and younger from using devices, clarify the process for parents to opt their child out of using technology at school, and audit its education technology contracts.“We have responsibility as one of the largest districts to draw a line in the sand when it comes to this recalibration and start the conversation,” Nick Melvoin, the board member in charge of drafting the resolution, said in an interview ahead of the vote.The vote follows months of pressure from parents who started a group called Schools Beyond Screens, speaking at board meetings, on social media, at district listening sessions, and in private meetings with administrators and board members about problems their children faced when required to use school-issued Chromebooks and iPads. Families previously told NBC News that their children’s grades had dropped as they became distracted playing video games in class, watching YouTube, and scrolling social media and internet forums. Parents and teachers also complained that some middle schools reserved one day a week...