2026.11.05_FINAL_LearnerCenteredTechUpdatePR.docx.pdf
EDITOR NOTE: Media Availability will be held on Friday, Nov. 6 between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. with Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Nicole DeWitt at the Education Center, at 4100 Normal St. near the flag poll. Contact the media team listed below to reserve your spot. Thanks!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
James Canning, 313-580-2845, Jcanning@sandi.net
Miguel Covarrubias, 619-316-4625, mcovarrubias@sandi.net
Learner-Centered Technology Use Committee Taking Preparatory Actions
Ahead of Making Recommendations for Grade-Level Guidance
SAN DIEGO (NOV. 05, 2026) – Just three months into the 2026-27 school year the Learner-Centered Technology Use Committee in November will have its third meeting. The early focus for this 20 person committee has been identifying priorities, research, and exploring opportunities for broader community input.
“Our work so far has focused on establishing a baseline of information, understanding and direction amongst the committee members to ensure the process of developing guidelines for our students is sound and sucessful, said Nicole Dewitt, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, San Diego Unified School District. “One area of immediate need we have identified is a lack of clarity about the tools that are available, and not available, to our students, which we are working to improve. Additionally, we are gathering feedback from our school communities to better understand how technology is currently being leveraged across grade levels before we dive deeper into creating new guidance.”
Students in San Diego Unified Schools using District-issued Chromebooks are limited to District-approved applications for educational purposes only. See a full list of District-approved applications for students, visit https://itd.sandiegounified.org/it_resources/clever_portal_information/clever_applications.
Students do not have access to:
- Generative artificial intelligence tools or chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or the “Ask Gemini” feature
- Video-streaming platforms, such as YouTube, are inaccessible for elementary and middle school students unless enabled by educators to support specific instructional activities
- Non-instructional gaming platforms are not accessible on district-issued devices.
Currently, Chromebooks are issued in grades 2-12. Grades K and 1 have access to Chromebooks via classroom computer carts and the youngest learners in preschool and Transitional Kindergarten classrooms only have access to devices if it is outlined in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 Plans, or language-learning needs.
“It’s important for families to understand that when students are signed-in to their district Chromebook account all of the restrictions we have put in place continue even at home,” said Deputy Superintendent Dewitt. “Our students are smart and resourceful, and some have found workarounds to our restrictions, but once those are brought to our attention, we put the appropriate safeguards in place.
“If families witness their student using their Chromebook in ways not intended for educational purposes, we are encouraging them to report it to their school’s principal or IT Help Desk (619-209-HELP), and we will work on a solution.”
Supporting Parents with Blocksi Training and Information
Blocksi is the district's online safety tool that helps parents manage how their children use their school-issued Chromebook when they are at home. It gives parents easy controls right from their phone or computer to block distracting websites, set bedtime internet limits, and support healthy habits after school hours.
In October, the district hosted eight Blocksi training sessions on five different days, but only 82 individuals attended the training. For parents unable to attend, the district also provided additional Blocksi information.
Students who take home Chromebooks in grades 3rd to 12th do have access to Gemini Notebook, a Google suite tool designed to help students organize, summarize, and make sense of their own notes and learning materials. Gemini Notebook works only with information students provide and does not pull content from the internet or other external sources. Parents can deactivate this feature at home using Blocksi, if they wish.
Additionally, Dana Middle school, Marshall Middle school, Edison Elementary, Salk Elementary and high schools are piloting Magic School which is an AI platform designed specifically for K-12 education, aiming to reduce administrative workloads for educators while providing guided, safe AI tools for students.
Learner-Centered Technology Committee Background
Since launching the Learner-Centered Technology initiative, the district has partnered with Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, an independent, nonpartisan research group that has assisted in providing relevant research related to the use of technology, best practices for leveraging educational technology at various ages, and objective, evidence-based guidance. The Committee has met twice, in September and October, bringing together educators, administrators, families, students, and community representatives to help shape recommendations that reflect the needs and values of our school community. The committee's next meeting is scheduled for November.
To stay updated, visit www.SanDiegoUnified.org/LearnerCenteredTechnology.
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Miguel Covarrubias (He/Him)
Mobile: 619-302-0309
4100 Normal Street
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