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Parents tell board Chromebooks and changes to IEP/ADA placements are harming learning and increasing travel
Summary
Three parents urged the Everett board to review one‑to‑one Chromebook use and device monitoring, and raised concerns that removal of IEP/ADA services from neighborhood schools will send some students to schools as far as about 6.6 miles away, lengthening bus rides and adding cost and safety concerns.
Three parents used the May 12 public‑comment period to press the Everett Public Schools board on technology and special‑education issues.
Lynn Engel identified herself as a parent and asked the district for "data‑driven decisions around technology use in schools," saying the district’s technology plan was based on outdated research and that parents report Chromebook use can distract from learning. Engel urged improved communication about parental monitoring tools and more restrictive controls on entertainment apps, including YouTube, which she said is currently a district‑approved app used in ways that concern families.
Michael Rockey (introduced from the dais) described a change in placement of IEP/ADA services in his neighborhood: services previously available at multiple nearby elementary schools are being consolidated, he said, forcing some families to send children to a school about 6.6 miles away. Rockey said longer bus routes raise safety and liability concerns and shift district funds from classroom needs to transportation. He urged the board to consider access and equity implications for families who cannot change schools or provide private transportation.
Online commenter Omar Woodley, a parent at Heatherwood, relayed examples other parents reported of students opening non‑educational tabs, creating social‑media accounts on district devices and downloading games that GoGuardian and current filters did not catch. Woodley said some families had to buy parental monitoring subscriptions to manage after‑school device use and asked the district to improve monitoring, restrict noneducational content, and better inform families about available parental control tools.
The board thanked speakers and said the district will provide written responses. Superintendent Salzman and district technology staff had previously acknowledged a technology department review and a reported test of potential restrictions to limit YouTube to approved educational videos, per Engel’s remarks. The board did not take immediate action during public comment but directed staff to follow up with the speakers in writing.
