Last month, KPBS reported local parents calling for less screen time in schools. Now, the San Diego Unified School Board is considering changes for the upcoming school year. KPBS education reporter Katie Anastas has the story.

San Diego Unified School District leaders on Tuesday announced an effort to better integrate technology in classrooms and reduce excessive media consumption, to be voted upon by the school board tonight.

If the Board of Education approves the proposed resolution at Tuesday evening's meeting, the first changes would go into effect on Aug. 10, the first day of the 2026-27 school year.

The proposed changes include:

• Prohibiting video-streaming platform use such as YouTube on individual devices;
• Prohibiting non-instructional gaming platform use on individual devices; and
• Removing computer carts from Transitional Kindergarten classrooms, while still allowing for access to devices for students with needed accommodations.

"Technology has expanded educational opportunities for students in ways we could not have imagined a generation ago," Board President Richard Barrera said. "But our responsibility is to ensure technology serves students — not the other way around. This resolution takes thoughtful, research-based steps to reduce passive screen time and create more opportunities for students to engage with their teachers, collaborate with their peers, and develop the communication, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills that will serve them throughout their lives."

Other facets of the proposal, which would be phased in over the course of the next year, include:

• Developing age-appropriate device usage guidance;
• Limiting screen time outside established time frames;
• Expanding family resources and parent controls;
• Strengthening digital citizenship instruction;
• Reviewing instructional software annually; and
• Continuing evaluations of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

District leaders said that while technology remains an important learning tool, excessive screen time and passive digital media consumption can "negatively impact attention, academic performance, sleep, social-emotional development, and overall student well-being."

The impetus of the resolution is not to remove technology from classrooms, its proponents say, but to instead support diverse learning needs while "creating more opportunities for meaningful human interaction, student engagement, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking."

"One of the strengths of this resolution is that it recognizes these decisions should not be made in isolation," Board Trustee Shana Hazan said. "Families, educators and community partners have helped elevate this conversation, and their voices will continue to guide this work. Technology remains an important educational tool, but it should never replace the relationships, creativity, collaboration, and human connection that are at the heart of a great education.

"This resolution creates a framework for bringing diverse perspectives together to determine what is best for students at every stage of their development," Hazan added.

District leaders say if the resolution passes, staff will work with advisory groups such as the Community Advisory Committee, District Advisory Council and District English Learner Advisory Committee to further refine ideas.

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