Parents and speech‑language professionals press Colonial SD for limits, transparency on Chromebook use in K–8

Dozens of parents and several pediatric speech‑language professionals urged the Colonial School District board on March 23 to restrict Chromebook and smart‑device use in kindergarten through eighth grade and to provide greater transparency about how devices are used in classrooms.

"Chromebooks should be limited in the classroom for hands‑on instructional use only with no use during snack or lunch breaks," said Amy Worth, a Lafayette Hill parent, summarizing a recurring ask from parents who could not attend. Several speakers described children choosing devices during breaks and said that decreased offline play and increased agitation at home followed days with device exposure.

Speakers also asked the district to disclose how much time students spend on devices each day and which apps are used, and to provide an opt‑out process for families who prefer non‑screen alternatives. "We are asking for greater transparency around device use in the curriculum, particularly around how much time is spent on devices each day, what apps are used, if parents can have access to that data, and whether there is concrete evidence that these apps are better suited for educating our children than traditional methods such as pencil and paper," said Elise LaChapelle, co‑founder of the district chapter of Wait Until Eighth and a parent volunteer.

Multiple parents cited specific concerns for students with attention or behavioral needs. "My son has an IEP for behavior… it's really hard with ADHD to begin with, managing his emotions and ability to complete non‑preferred activities," said Elizabeth Cheever, who said her first‑grade son was distracted when a device was available.

Two speakers who identified themselves as pediatric speech‑language pathologists, Kaylee Zucker and Jen Goldman, framed the request in developmental terms. Zucker said she has observed impacts on social and language development in clinical practice and asked the district to consider research on early play and brain development.

The public comment period concluded with a request that parents be included in ongoing discussions. "As this conversation continues, we'd also like to offer to assist with forming technology focus groups that would give parents a voice in the district's decisions," Elise LaChapelle said.

In response, Superintendent Dr. Christian acknowledged the concerns and said the curriculum meeting recording is available online. The administration stated that K–3 students typically have about 40 minutes of device exposure during the day, with some days as little as 20 minutes, and clarified that Chromebooks are not sent home "because we don't want additional screen time at home and feel that's a parent decision." The superintendent said the district appreciates community input and will continue dialogue with parents and staff.

No formal board action on Chromebook policy was taken at the March 23 meeting; the comments were submitted as public testimony for the board and administration to consider going forward.