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Brush district task force proposes limits on student screen time, delays one-to-one devices until high school
Summary
A district Tech & AI Task Force presented new technology-use guidelines recommending elementary screen time generally be limited to 30–60 minutes a day and that one-to-one student devices be reserved until ninth grade; the board received the report and did not vote on the guidelines tonight.
The Brush School District RE-2J Tech and AI Task Force presented proposed technology-use guidelines that would reduce routine classroom device use for younger students and reserve one-to-one student devices until ninth grade, staff said.
The task force’s recommendations—presented by a district staff member—call for elementary students to have about 30–60 minutes of routine screen-based instructional time each day, allow device access in middle school ‘‘as needed for specific classes,’’ and delay the districtwide one-to-one rollout until ninth grade. ‘‘Instead of doing it at the younger grades, we’re going to just pull back and save that for ninth grade,’’ the presenter said while describing the recommended change.
Board members and staff framed the guidelines as research-informed and iterative. Staff emphasized the recommendation grew from a yearlong review of screen-time research and EdTech outcomes and that the AI guidance will follow once the technology-use framework is adopted and tested.
District staff answered detailed logistical questions about inventory and distribution: the district reported a little over 1,200 Chromebooks on hand, estimated roughly 1,100 spares would be needed to support classroom cart deployments at K–8, and said some existing high‑school Dell models will stop receiving security updates in 2029. Staff described plans to deploy Chromebook carts at K–8 for testing and intentional instructional uses while maintaining one-to-one access for students who need ongoing remote or concurrent-enrollment access at the secondary campus.
No formal action was requested tonight; the guidelines were presented for board review and discussion. Staff recommended continued evaluation of device lifecycles and a phased approach that prioritizes instructional needs, technical support and family communication about device expectations.
