Parents press board to limit early-grade iPad use; district says faculty review, update expected after Aug. 25

Multiple parents used the public‑comment period to urge the Chappaqua Board of Education to limit classroom iPad use for young children and to demand clearer, more timely communications about any policy changes.

"I was surprised that kids are given 1 to 1 iPad devices," said Caroline Rivera, a Roaring Brook pre‑K parent, who told the board she had asked administrators for written guidance and now wants additional parent engagement sessions. Alex Lang, another parent, told the board "When we envelop our children's learning experience in a digital wrapper, we remove their opportunities for struggling and increase their vectors for distraction." Dan DeCurtis asked the district to provide a community update within weeks because school starts in about a month.

Responding to the comments, Superintendent Dr. Ackerman said the district surveyed students, parents and staff this summer and convened a strategic planning committee that reviewed national and state research and local standards. He said proposals are currently with faculty for feedback and that elementary faculty will meet Aug. 19, with middle‑ and high‑school teams meeting Aug. 25. "It would be after August 25 that I would be ready to provide an update to families," Dr. Ackerman said.

Board and staff members described the committee's review as broad — including research, position statements and testimony — and acknowledged there is mixed evidence about efficacy. On data collection, staff said Apple privacy constraints limit full device tracking but that the district can combine iPad 'screen time' reports and LightSpeed Internet‑filter logs to estimate usage and app activity on campus.

The district did not adopt any policy changes at the meeting. Instead, the board asked staff to continue the faculty review and promised a follow‑up communication to families after the scheduled August meetings.