The Lakeland School District board approved a policy change restricting Chromebooks for students in kindergarten through eighth grade to use for state‑mandated testing and designated skill‑development activities only.

Board discussion followed a report that middle‑school students had used proxies and personal mobile hotspots to bypass district content filters, making it difficult for staff to track off‑network browsing. Technology staff and administrators said students discovered ways to “go around our firewall” by changing Wi‑Fi settings or using proxy‑style websites; that behavior obscured browsing history in district logs and allowed access to content the district blocks.

Trustees debated mitigation options such as enhanced monitoring software, classroom‑display tools and locked Chromebook carts; some trustees argued those measures can reduce misuse but cannot fully prevent students from using personal hotspots or external proxies. After discussion, a motion to remove Chromebooks from K–8 except for "state mandated testing and testing skill development" passed. The transcript records the roll call as a voice vote that the chair reported as carried by the board.

Administrators said staff would next develop specific implementation steps: (1) define allowable 'skill development' uses for K–8, (2) inventory Chromebook carts and tighten checkout procedures so devices do not leave campuses without permission, (3) investigate and present vendor documentation for any additional monitoring/alerting software that flags risky search terms and (4) notify parents of the change and the circumstances prompting it.

Several parents had met earlier with district staff about the issue; administrators said a small number of families were considering keeping children home during class time because of concerns about uncontrolled web access. Trustees asked staff to return with a written policy amendment and an outreach plan for parents and teachers.