{"id":178,"date":"2026-05-23T08:33:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cambridgemovinghub.com\/?p=178"},"modified":"2026-05-23T08:33:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T08:33:33","slug":"school-committee-probes-screen-usage-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cambridgemovinghub.com\/?p=178","title":{"rendered":"School Committee probes screen usage data"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

School administrators presented preliminary results of a study on screen usage in class, as the School Committee considers restricting computer use in elementary school.<\/p>\n

Read more Higher parking fees on the way, and perhaps direct election of mayors<\/a><\/p>\n

Most in-school screen time is instructional, the study found, with the heaviest use in high school, according to Heather Francis, the district\u2019s executive director of academics. She presented at Tuesday\u2019s School Committee meeting, which the district conducted in collaboration with the Academics and Education Technology departments. The screen usage report, first requested by the previous School Committee in December, was conducted on all grade years over several months this spring.<\/p>\n

One aspect of the study was the use of Chromebooks, which the district issues to students in all grades. Data gathered during a 23-day period spanning April and May of this year showed median daily use of Chromebooks was around 17 minutes for Kindergarteners and 25 minutes for first and second graders. Time in use increases steadily by grade year until students reach high school, where their daily estimated use in classes is 71 minutes.<\/p>\n

Mostly used for instruction<\/h2>\n

The usage audit looked at instructional time, and found that for grades K-5, Chromebook usage was 98 to 99 percent for instruction. In middle school it is 95 percent instructional, but at the high school level that falls to 85 percent.<\/p>\n

Vice chair Caitlin Dube had co-sponsored a resolution at the April 17 meeting to pause non-essential screen usage in younger classrooms until the audit was released. The resolution was ultimately deferred to Superintendent Dave Murphy and screen usage was not paused.<\/p>\n

Dube on Tuesday again pushed against all elementary screen use. \u201cI think there\u2019s an operating assumption in this report that screens are necessary in CPS classrooms,\u201d Dube said. \u201cScreens are not neutral, especially for early childhood learners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Different uses at different ages<\/h2>\n

Computers are used for different purposes, the report found, drawing on also qualitative\u00a0observations of 16 elementary classrooms and 18 upper school classrooms, as well as educator and student feedback.<\/p>\n

In elementary years, technology is used for \u201cliteracy support\u201d and \u201cinstructional visuals and math practice,\u201d while students at the upper and high school levels \u201cengage with technologies in ways that are much more integrated into their work,\u201d Francis said, pointing to different software older kids use to manage assignments.<\/p>\n

Does tech increase learning?<\/h2>\n

Member Luisa de Paula Santos drew attention to some of the data\u2019s limitations, namely that the data on Chromebook usage does not account for smartboards and other in-classroom screens and devices that may contribute to a student\u2019s total screen exposure.<\/p>\n

Read more Boosters \u2018R Us and a serviceable space opera<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe study doesn\u2019t actually yet arrive at whether the screen time actually helps students learn,\u201d Santos added. Several committee members agreed that more information is needed about the impacts of the technology before they vote on whether to restrict it.<\/p>\n

Santos also brought up the use of screens in special education classrooms, where technology can be important for \u201cmodifying curricula\u201d but could \u201cbe potentially more harmful for that population if misused.\u201d Francis acknowledged the need to do a specific study on a special education classroom in the district.<\/p>\n

The report is one piece of a larger reckoning on screen use that seems to be happening in Cambridge, and in public schools throughout the country. The district\u2019s high school, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, sealed away student cell phones for the first time last fall. (The screen usage study began after that shift and did not assess the effects of that policy).<\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence is another piece of the puzzle, especially for Cambridge\u2019s high schoolers.<\/p>\n

High schoolers \u201cdidn\u2019t advocate for eliminating technology, but they really talked about intentionality, balance, and the approach,\u201d in the report\u2019s student feedback section, Francis said.<\/p>\n

Conversations around artificial intelligence began under the previous School Committee in August, when they requested a recommendation on its use from the Superintendent. There is currently no district-wide policy regulating the technology, but Murphy said a district working group is assessing the matter.<\/p>\n

The full report on screen usage will be released in June. Francis said it will have more data about personal and instructional screen use, technology in special education classrooms, and the connection between mental health and screen use.<\/p>\n

Committee Member Elizabeth Hudson asked for more immediate action steps. Murphy suggested that the committee could enforce a guidance that has already been distributed to early childhood educators, which places restrictions on certain usage, such as screens as a behavioral reward.<\/p>\n

Read more In Somerville, a Salute to Service<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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