San Diego Unified School District News Releases: SAN DIEGO UNIFIED TAKES ACTION TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME AND PRIORITIZE STUDENT WELLNESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: James Canning, jcanning@sandi.net, 313-580-2845

SAN DIEGO UNIFIED TAKES ACTION TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME AND PRIORITIZE STUDENT WELLNESS

Board of Education Resolution Launches Learner-Centered Approach to Technology, Promotes Learning, Creativity, and Human Connection; Initial Steps Will be Implemented by Start of 2026-27 School Year with Tuesday Approval

SAN DIEGO (JUNE 23, 2026) — San Diego Unified School District leaders today announced a new learner-centered approach to technology use through a resolution that will be voted on by the Board of Education Tuesday evening.

The resolution, Learner-Centered Technology Use that Prioritizes Student Learning, Safety, and Wellness, launches a year-long effort to align technology use with current research, reduce excessive digital media consumption, and establish developmentally appropriate guidance that ensures technology supports student learning, safety, wellness, and healthy development.

With Board of Education approval Tuesday, the first series of changes will be implemented by August 10, the first day of the 2026-27 school year, including:

Prohibiting video-streaming platform use (e.g. YouTube), on 1:1 devices. Use will require educators to enable access only as needed to support unique learning outcomes;
Prohibiting non-instructional gaming platform use on 1:1 devices; and
Removing computer carts from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) classrooms, while still allowing for access to devices per a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 accommodation, and/or linguistic needs.

The district's approach recognizes that technology remains an important tool for learning, collaboration, communication, and access. At the same time, growing research shows that excessive screen time and passive digital media consumption can negatively impact attention, academic performance, sleep, social-emotional development, and overall student well-being.

The resolution calls for technology to be used purposefully to support diverse learning needs while creating more opportunities for meaningful human interaction, student engagement, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

“Technology has expanded educational opportunities for students in ways we could not have imagined a generation ago,” said Richard Barrera, President of the San Diego Unified Board of Education. “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.”

The resolution also initiates a collaborative process involving educators, families, researchers, and community stakeholders to develop grade-level guidance for technology use and revise existing board policies.

The district will work closely with representatives from advisory groups including the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), District Advisory Council (DAC), District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC), labor partners, students, and family organizations to help shape future recommendations.

“One of the strengths of this resolution is that it recognizes these decisions should not be made in isolation,” said Shana Hazan, Trustee, San Diego Unified Board of Education. “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.”

Additional actions scheduled through the 2026–27 school year include:

development of age-appropriate device usage guidance,
limits on Chromebook access outside established timeframes,
expanded family resources and parent controls,
strengthened digital citizenship instruction,
annual reviews of instructional software, and
continued evaluation of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

The resolution supports San Diego Unified's commitment to its four Student Achievement Goals by promoting student wellness, strengthening communication and literacy skills, supporting problem-solving and mathematics achievement, and ensuring students are prepared to thrive in college, career, and life.

Visit SanDiegoUnified.org to learn more.

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