LAUSD Approves Grade-by-Grade Screen Time Limits, Bans Devices for First Graders

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has approved a district-wide plan to set explicit screen time limits that vary by grade level and subject, marking a significant shift in classroom technology policy.

What the Policy Requires

The school board voted to:

• Prohibit classroom device use for first-grade students.
• Ban student-led use of YouTube and other streaming platforms during class.
• Require an audit of educational-technology (edtech) contracts across the district.
• Create a clearer, more transparent process for parents to opt their children out of classroom technology use.

Timeline and Next Steps

Board members said a detailed screen time policy will be presented to the board by June, and the measures are slated to take effect in the 2026–2027 school year. Officials noted that some districts in Alabama and Utah have adopted similar restrictions.

"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," said Nick Melvoin, the board member who led the resolution.

Support and Rationale

Advocates who support the change, including Anya Meksin, deputy director of Schools Beyond Screens, say students are often distracted by devices and that excessive screen use can affect learning and health. Meksin told NewsNation that over a decade of international research points to potential harms from heavy device use in classrooms.

The district framed the move as a measured effort to balance instructional technology with student engagement, safety and well-being while increasing transparency around edtech purchases and parental choice.