Parent urges limits on early grade screen time; district presents updated classroom technology guidelines

A parent told the Alamo Heights Board of Trustees on June 17 that the district should reduce the use of screens for younger students, and district technology staff presented next year's instructional-technology goals and a plan to revise screen-time guidance.

Jeremy Deladuce, who identified himself as a parent of four and said his wife grew up in the district, said the family started their children in private school because of concerns about the amount of device time in early grades. "The use of technology at the younger ages specifically is what really concerned us," Deladuce said. He asked the board to start a community conversation about "the proper use of technology" and said many other parents share those concerns.

District technology staff told the board they will publish and promote an "instructional expectations framework" and a technology handbook to clarify meaningful, instructionally driven device use. The technology presentation set several goals for 2025'26: achieve 90% of students, staff and parents strongly agreeing that classroom technology use is appropriate; complete 90% of administration learning walks showing proficient or distinguished integration; and revisit screen-time expectations to align with district values.

Staff described a five-part approach: clarify and publish expectations for purposeful integration; support balanced screen time in the classroom; advance digital literacy and keyboarding skills districtwide; expand work on artificial intelligence in education and digital citizenship; and strengthen family engagement and consistent district communications so parents better see and understand classroom digital work.

Technology staff said the district will continue its technology-committee review of apps and programs and will ensure any device transitions are student-centered and feedback-informed. They said an updated keyboarding plan and materials on AI and digital citizenship will be part of next year's rollout.

Board members said the topic will continue to be discussed at policy and committee meetings; the policy committee already plans a work group on a new prohibition-of-personal-devices policy noted during the meeting.

The district framed the presentation as a plan to improve clarity and communication rather than an immediate change in device allocation. Staff asked trustees to expect more detail and family-facing resources during the August GMP meeting and at the start of the school year.