Beaverton students face excessive screen exposure on school-issued devices. Even with new device restrictions, students regularly access games, shopping, YouTube, and AI tools during class and at home, losing valuable learning time to algorithms designed to capture attention. There are documented instances of students accessing explicit chatbots, using AI to create pornographic images, and researching how to hide eating disorders—all on school-issued devices.

Teachers shouldn't have to police browser tabs or compete with addictive algorithms. Parents lack control over their children's technology use at school. Constant screen exposure overstimulates developing brains and disrupts instructional time.

We appreciate recent positive policy shifts, including improved phone policies. However, more action is needed.

Despite having adequate safeguarding tools, the district implements insufficient policies. At this point, the harms outweigh the benefits. The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and BSD School Board Policy require that online tools be safe for students. We demand the following policy changes to protect students' mental health, attention spans, and learning.

Our Proposals

1. Use the Only-Allow List to Prohibit Recreational Screen Use During the School Day

The Problem: As district technology staff Steve Langford recently stated, "Nobody can filter at the website-level" with over 1.3 billion websites to monitor. We agree—website-level blocking is ineffective.

The Solution:

• Change internet filters to "only-allow" lists during class time. This is standard practice in other districts and accessible through the existing Lightspeed portal. Some BSD staff have already created robust only-allow lists for their classrooms. This should be district-wide policy.

2. Return to Teacher-Led Instruction and Classroom Technology Sets

The Problem: District devices function as entertainment platforms, not learning tools. Teachers face an impossible task managing behavior while competing with constant digital distractions. Children's developing brains cannot self-regulate these distractions.

The Solution:

• Establish screen time limits for K-3: Prioritize hands-on, non-screen instruction. Restrict screens to intentional, standards-aligned instructional purposes. This is an AAP-aligned recommendation.
• Reimagine K–3 Technology Class: Reevaluate standalone tech classes centered on individual iPad use, videos, or digital games. Consider prioritizing play, social interaction, motor development, and teacher-led exploration instead—essentially a third recess with minimal, purposeful use of technology.
• Support Middle School Chromebook Classroom Sets: Use classroom sets of Chromebooks instead of individually issued devices. While some BSD middle schools have attempted this model, sufficient support is lacking. Other districts have successfully made this transition with strong results.

3. Require Explicit Opt-In for Generative AI Tools

The Problem: AI tools increasingly include age-inappropriate features. ChatGPT now offers an explicit "Adult Mode." Grok is widely used to create pornographic images. AI-generated deepfakes and explicit content pose serious risks. Students also use AI to complete assignments dishonestly.

The Solution:

• Block all AI tools except those expressly approved for teaching and learning. The district already provides vetted AI tools (Gemini, Magic School). Students should not access unapproved tools.
• Provide Opt-In and Opt-Out options for any AI tools used for any student at any grade level.
• AI use should be permitted only at the High School Level and only after completing an AI literacy course.

4. Improve Parent Tools and Training

The Problem: Parents carefully manage technology at home, but lose control of school-issued devices. We cannot monitor what our children access on district devices.

The Solution:

• Weekly Parent Reports: Provide reports showing both time spent on devices plus apps and websites accessed by default.
• Parent Training: Offer grade-level training on accessing parent reports and monitoring tools at convenient times and locations for all schools. Utilizing pre-existing events like curriculum night or PTO meetings is recommended.
• Use the Opt-In structure for all Ed-Tech.
• Informed Consent is offered for each individual EdTech platform for every student, including specifics on how data is shared and stored.

5. Increase Community Input and Transparency

The Problem: Families and teachers have raised these concerns for more than a year. Parents need a forum to express questions, recommendations, and concerns before they become even more problematic.

We Request:

• Regular surveys on EdTech and screen use
• A focus on intentional screen use and play-based learning for K-3
• Town hall meetings on technology decisions
• Form a Technology Advisory committee that includes parents and community members, that advises on Technology and
• Provide a regular, detailed budget breakdown of the ed tech contracts (Google, Magic School Bus, Lexia, Dreambox, Aleks, etc.) so the community can understand how dollars are being spent

We are standing up for student, teacher, peer connection—the heartbeat of education—and supporting classrooms where curiosity, creativity, and meaningful relationships come first.

A device should never replace a playground, and an algorithm should never dictate a curriculum. We are a community coming together to reclaim our children’s attention, protect their mental health, and restore the joy of human-centered learning in Beaverton schools.

Further Watching and Reading:

1. BSD Chromebook Meeting with CTO (46-Min Mark)
   Beaverton School District meeting discussing Chromebook policies and technology decisions with the Chief Technology Officer. Watch Here
2. Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath Testifies in the Senate on 1/15/26
   Research on the effects of screen technology and digital media on children's brain development was submitted to the U.S. Senate. Watch Here
3. The Association between Screen Time and Attention in Children: A Systematic Review (PubMed)
   Systematic review finding most studies report associations between higher screen time and attention problems in typically developing children. Learn More
4. Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use (PubMed)
   Meta-analysis of 71 studies found that increased short-form video use is associated with poorer attention, inhibitory control, and mental health across youth and adults. Learn More
5. Screen Time Exposure and Executive Functions in Preschool Children (Scientific Reports, Nature)
   A study of 1,016 preschoolers linking passive screen time to lower cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibition. Learn More
6. Media and Young Minds (American Academy of Pediatrics)
   AAP policy statement on screen time guidelines for children ages 0–5, emphasizing co-viewing, high-quality content, and limiting exposure. Learn More
7. Technology and Young Children: Position Statement (NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center)
   Joint position statement on intentional, developmentally appropriate use of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs. Learn More
8. Principles of Child Development and Learning and Implications That Inform Practice (NAEYC)
   NAEYC's evidence-based framework emphasizes play-based, hands-on learning and cautions that technology should not replace real-world experiences. Learn More
9. Meta-Analytic Review of the Short-Term Effects of Media Exposure on Children's Attention and Executive Functions (PubMed)
   Meta-analysis showing children perform worse on attention and executive function tasks immediately after viewing fantastical media content. Learn More
10. A New Direction for Students in an AI World: Prosper, Prepare, Protect (Brookings)
    Yearlong global study concluding that the risks of generative AI in children's education currently overshadow its benefits, with 12 recommendations for action. Learn More

Additional Resources
OR Unplugged is a non-profit dedicated to the belief that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and distraction-free childhood.

Follow along with the BSD Safe Technology Group on Facebook.