Los Angeles Unified School District implements new screen-time rules

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has implemented a new policy to reduce student screen time as the 2026-27 school year begins. The initiative includes strict restrictions for early education, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and first-grade students, who will have no digital device use allowed except for specific mandated assessments or documented disabilities.

For older students, the district will block access to social media, YouTube, and streaming platforms unless explicitly approved by a teacher. While students will no longer automatically receive devices to take home, families may still request them. The district intends to monitor usage through software installed on school-issued devices to collect data throughout the year.

Educators have expressed mixed reactions. While some support the move to combat high daily screen usage, others have raised concerns regarding the rapid implementation and a lack of guidance for replacing digital instructional tools, such as virtual lab simulations, with non-digital alternatives.