Today, the post-COVID learning environment is much different from the atmosphere many of us remember from our time in school. This is especially true in districts where universal Chromebook and iPad policies have become the norm.
But should this be the norm? It’s a question parents and school board members are increasingly asking. From the financial cost to the impact of screens on students’ learning and development, it’s time for a frank conversation about the dominance of technology in today’s classrooms.
Recently, North Carolina’s largest school district made headlines for questioning its 1:1 Chromebook policy, which assigns every student a device starting in elementary school. We think this is an excellent development.
At a recent facilities committee meeting, Dr. Robert Taylor, superintendent of Wake County Schools, stated, “One-to-one is something that a district of our size just cannot afford. It’s about how we have appropriate access.”
The News & Observer reports that Wake County school administrators will make a recommendation this fall on how many devices to provide going forward. While the conversation is still in its early stages, we hope it will spark similar discussions in other school districts about whether current technology levels are appropriate and meeting students’ needs.
North Carolina school districts collectively received about $6 billion in COVID emergency funds, according to the John Locke Foundation. Between the 2021-2024 school years, Wake County Schools allotted roughly $437 million in pandemic dollars. With the bulk of these funds now spent by districts, the recurring cost of maintaining, repairing, and replacing Chromebooks risks putting financial stress on school systems and taxpayers while leaving fewer dollars for critical needs like instruction or facilities.
At the same time, there is growing evidence that readers retain significantly less information from screens than from paper. One meta-analysis (capturing 49 studies) found that paper-based instruction led to far better reading comprehension scores than digital learning. CALN has written on these trends over the last several months (here and here), including on the issue of cellphones in schools.
As states like North and South Carolina pass measures or take steps to curb cellphone use in classrooms, we must not overlook how other devices—particularly those issued by schools—are shaping children’s development. CALN will provide continuing updates and assistance as more districts reconsider 1:1 Chromebook policies and search for more practical, academically effective alternatives.