Los Angeles Schools Take Bold Step to Limit Classroom Screen Time

Wed Apr 22 2026 17:09:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a groundbreaking move, Los Angeles becomes the first major U.S. school district to impose limits on classroom screen time, affecting hundreds of thousands of students. The new resolution aims to promote healthier learning environments.

Los Angeles' education board has voted to impose restrictions on screen time for students, marking a significant shift in educational policy. Staff will develop guidelines based on grade levels, banning device use for students in first grade and younger, and prohibiting access to streaming platforms like YouTube on school-issued devices. This decision aims to address concerns around excessive screen time and its related health risks.

Los Angeles' education board has voted to restrict student screen time in classrooms, making it the first major US school system to do so.

The resolution requires staff to develop screen-time policies based on grade level and bans first-grade and younger students from using devices.

It comes as the district, which serves about half a million students, sought to reduce its reliance on tablets and laptops, a trend that accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Board member Nick Melvoin, who brought forward the resolution, noted that while student devices were invaluable in 2020, it is time to reset their usage. I believe that we have the opportunity to lead the nation, to establish comprehensive, developmentally grounded screen-time limits that put students before screens, he stated during a board meeting.

Melvoin emphasized that the goal is not to reverse progress but to reconsider screen use and ensure it contributes positively to learning.

The new restrictions, set to take effect in the next school year, will extend to banning YouTube and other video-streaming sites on school-issued devices. Parents will have the option to opt their children out of specific digital tools.

Research cited in the resolution highlights that children aged 8 to 11 who exceed recommended screen time face heightened risks for obesity, depression, and lower cognitive performance.

This initiative builds upon a similar measure passed in 2024 that prohibited mobile phone and social media usage in classrooms. Board member Kelly Gonez remarked, Technology can be a powerful tool, but too much screen time has real harmful effects on our students. This resolution will ensure we are prioritizing important skills and learning experiences for students while protecting their childhoods and well-being by setting research-based limits.”

Anya Meksin, deputy director of Schools Beyond Screens, a group advocating for this policy change, described the resolution as a historic reform. She expressed hope that it would inspire similar actions nationwide.