Resource Offers Quality-Over-Quantity Framework for Meeting Screen Time Limits While Protecting Students and Promoting Meaningful Learning

 

Washington, D.C. — August 10, 2026 — CoSN — The Consortium for School Networking today released an executive summary of its new guidance for K-12 school district leaders, “From Screen Time Mandates to Purposeful Technology Policies and Guidance,” a resource designed to help school systems navigate the growing number of state policies and community discussions surrounding technology use in schools. The executive summary is publicly available, while the full guide is available exclusively to CoSN members.

“As states and communities take a closer look at screen time in schools, districts need guidance that is both thoughtful and practical,” said Stacy Hawthorne, Ed.D., CETL®, Board Chair, CoSN; Executive Director, EdTech Leaders Alliance. “CoSN created this guide to help leaders reduce low-value screen use while protecting purposeful technology that supports accessibility, assessment, intervention, creation, collaboration, and future readiness for students. The guide includes policy considerations, implementation questions, family communication tools, board talking points, checklists, and sample language districts can adapt to their local context.”

Offering a quality-over-quantity framework, the resource is built around three principles that CoSN recommends anchor local education technology policies:

  • Centered on Learning: Education technology should be used only when it strengthens, extends, personalizes, or makes learning more accessible.
  • Students Are Protected Online: School-issued devices should operate within district-managed systems that include cybersecurity, content filtering, privacy protections, and other safeguards.
  • Locally Led: Education technology decisions should reflect the unique needs, priorities, and circumstances of individual communities.

“School leaders are facing unprecedented pressure to navigate the complexities of student screen time. CoSN is proud to launch this timely toolkit to equip school district leaders with clear, actionable guidance to build thoughtful policies,” said Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN. “This powerful new resource builds on CoSN’s ongoing Purposeful Education Technology resources and moves policy beyond bans and measuring quantity to a more important focus on quality.”

The guide also defines different categories of technology use, explains how expectations should evolve from early childhood through high school, and provides tools educators can use to determine whether technology is the right choice for a lesson. It also helps districts comply with minutes-based mandates and communicate clearly about what their current systems can and cannot measure.

Additional sections address the technical and staffing demands associated with parent oversight provisions, required exceptions for assistive technology and other legally protected uses, and the potential consequences of blanket restrictions on district-managed education technology, such as workforce readiness gaps and barriers for students with disabilities.

Finally, the guide includes a policy alignment crosswalk to help districts incorporate screen time expectations into board policies, administrative regulations, instructional guidance, professional learning, and family communications without conflicting with existing policies. Taking the recommendations a step further, the guide provides ready-to-adapt materials, such as sample board policy language, family and staff communication templates, and more.

The executive summary and full guide are available at www.cosn.org/screentimepolicy.

About CoSN
CoSN, the world-class professional association for K-12 education technology leaders, stands at the forefront of education innovation. We are driven by a mission to equip current and aspiring K-12 education technology leaders, their teams, and school districts with the community, knowledge, and professional development they need to cultivate engaging learning environments. Our vision is rooted in a future where every learner reaches their unique potential, guided by our community. CoSN represents over 2,000 school districts and 14 million students and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. www.cosn.org