CoSN: 3 Principles that Should Guide Screen Time Policies in Schools -- THE Journal

Policy & Funding

CoSN: 3 Principles that Should Guide Screen Time Policies in Schools

By Rhea Kelly
08/18/26

Key Takeaways

New guidance from CoSN emphasizes that screen time policies should focus on quality, not quantity: Technology use should support learning, protect students, reflect local priorities, and advance instruction.
Education technology should support learning and student safety: CoSN’s three principles call for technology that strengthens or personalizes learning, operates within district-managed safeguards, and reflects local community needs.
Districts need practical tools for policy development: The guide includes grade-band guidance, instructional decision-making tools, assistive technology exceptions, policy templates, communication tools, board talking points, checklists, and sample language.

CoSN, the professional association for K-12 education technology leaders, has released new guidance to help schools navigate the screen time debate and develop technology policies that protect students while supporting learning. The report, "From Screen Time Mandates to Purposeful Technology Policies and Guidance," examines the screen time debate through a "quality-over-quantity" lens, stressing that not all screen time is the same.

"The goal is not simply to reduce or increase screen time," the report's executive summary emphasizes. "The goal is to ensure that every use of technology has a clear instructional purpose, protects students, reflects local priorities, and meaningfully advances learning."

In that vein, CoSN recommends three guiding principles for any education technology policy:

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.
Led Locally: Education technology decisions should reflect the unique needs, priorities, and circumstances of individual communities.

The guide also includes definitions for different categories of technology use; grade-band guidance from early childhood through high school; instructional decision-making tools; information on required exceptions for assistive technology and other legally protected uses; policy and communication templates; and more.

"As states and communities take a closer look at screen time in schools, districts need guidance that is both thoughtful and practical," commented Stacy Hawthorne, Ed.D., CETL, board chair for CoSN and executive director of the EdTech Leaders Alliance, in a statement. "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."

"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," added CoSN CEO Keith Krueger. "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."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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