2026 Legislative Priorities

With the Phone Free Schools Act now passed, districts are beginning to reduce smartphone distraction but digital distraction and overuse persists through mandated use of 1:1 devices (iPads and Chromebooks), the introduction of generative AI tools and growing reliance on online learning platforms.

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We are urging legislators to consider the following priorities to protect student well-being and instructional quality:​

• Ed Tech & Device Transparency — Require districts to disclose all digital tools, data practices, and student screen time; protect families’ right to opt out of 1:1 devices; and allow teachers to decline use of ed tech they find to be developmentally-inappropriate or pedagogically unsound.

• Temporary K–8 Ban on Generative AI — Block all generative-AI tools on school-issued devices for two years while the State Board of Education conducts opt-in research to assess safety, efficacy, and impact on learning.

• Paper-Based Testing for Young Learners — Provide paper state assessments for elementary students to alleviate the pressure on districts to maintain early 1:1 device use in order to prepare students for online testing.

• Social Media–Free Schools — Introduce a model bill to ensure that schools are not encouraging social media use during or after the instructional day. No child should be put in a position where they have to own a smartphone or have a social media account because of their school.