The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors on April 22 approved a set of technology purchases that district staff say will put Chromebooks into a majority of classrooms and update staff and lab machines.

The votes followed a public presentation by the district’s technology committee and a series of community comments from parents, college instructors and health professionals who urged the board to limit student screen time, cite concerns about myopia and digital addiction, and preserve handwritten work in elementary grades.

District presenters said the technology plan grew from a year-long review by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community members. Patrick Snyder, who led the district technology committee presentation, said the committee recommended Chromebooks for all grade bands, 1:1 allocations, and an opt-in take-home policy for elementary grades so families can choose whether a device goes home with a child.

The committee’s findings were backed by device‑usage data the district provided during the meeting. A staff member who analyzed Clever authentication logs said average Chromebook use across the district for the most recent 28 days was about 27 minutes per calendar day (roughly 42 minutes per school day), with elementary use averaging about 25 minutes per school day and high school use about 47 minutes per school day. The same analysis showed top apps at different levels were Google Workspace, Canvas and YouTube at the high school and middle school levels, and adaptive learning programs such as Happy Numbers and Scratch at the elementary level.

Parents and community members urged the board to proceed cautiously. Lisa Schumacher, a parent and disability advocate, told the board that some students struggle with thinking and learning on screens and warned about a “loss of fine motor skills” and handwriting ability. Sandy Hong, who introduced herself as a community pediatrician, urged the board to vote no on a blanket rollout for K–5, calling it “fiscally unsound and developmentally unsound” for young children and raising worries about myopia, anxiety and social isolation.

Superintendent Degner said district staff heard the concerns and that the technology committee intentionally included teachers, parents and students, and that the district would continue monitoring how devices are used. The district also committed to expanded professional learning for teachers on learning design, digital literacy and appropriate classroom use.

Funding for the proposed Chromebook purchases was outlined during the meeting. District staff reported the student Chromebook procurement would be paid largely from the district’s SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education) fund, with a smaller portion from PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy). A figure cited in the meeting for the Chromebook purchase was about $5.86 million; staff said that procurement and other device contracts were the RFPs the board approved later in the agenda.

Board members said they would continue to request frequent updates on device usage and professional development. Director Williams and others asked the administration to pursue medical and pediatric input and to provide parents with regular reports on classroom device time and training for teachers. Patrick Snyder said students had participated in the committee work and that additional data dashboards were being developed so the district and the board could monitor day‑to‑day use.

The board’s unanimous approval of the RFPs came after the public comment period and the district presentation. Directors said they appreciated the community input and asked the administration to follow up with further study and routine reporting on how devices are used in instruction.

Looking ahead, staff said they will bring implementation details and scheduled professional learning to the board and make usage reporting available to trustees and families.