In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to limit classroom screen time for kindergarten, first, and second grade public school students in our Commonwealth.
In the 2024-25 PSSA scoring cycle, statewide ELA proficiency scores fell below 50% for the first time in a decade(1). Devices in the hands of K-2 students are not the only factor in declining ELA scores, however, these results should prompt us to ask whether our youngest students are receiving enough hands-on, direct, and developmentally appropriate instruction in the early grades.
Research has shown that handwriting plays an important role in helping young children learn letters, build reading skills, and develop writing fluency. In a study of preliterate children, researchers found that forming letters by hand activated brain regions associated with successful reading in ways that typing or tracing did not (2). Educators and researchers have also raised concerns that increased reliance on keyboards, tablets, and touchscreens may contribute to weaker handwriting skills and fine motor development among young students.
Research also flags excessive or poorly supervised screen time among young children as a factor, especially when passive, prolonged, or not supported by adult interaction. A 2023 systematic review of early childhood screen time found that screen exposure was associated with negative effects on cognitive and language development, with passive use increasing these effects (3). Small protection measures, like preventing unmonitored access at home and reducing prolonged daily device use in the classroom, can help ensure technology supports learning without replacing handwriting, reading, direct instruction, and face-to-face interaction.
Importantly, this legislation will not fully prohibit the use of technology for K-2 students. Nothing in this bill will restrict teachers or schools from continuing computer science curriculums or technology-based coursework. However, it will restrict K-2 students from taking home school-issued devices and prevent schools from relying on daily one-to-one device use as a substitute for foundational early learning.
Since COVID, we have seen millions of dollars spent on school-issued devices, some of which are sent home with children as young as five years old. We must ask ourselves: is it responsible to routinely send a young child home with an internet-capable device that can cost taxpayers hundreds of dollars to purchase and maintain?
I encourage my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring this bill to set reasonable guidelines on a subject matter that has little to no guardrails, and to protect our youngest students from the negative impacts of too much technology. Doing so will support stronger ELA skills for our students and help combat the current decline in reading comprehension and writing proficiency across this Commonwealth.
- PDE 2024-25 assessment results:
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/newsroom/pennsylvania-releases-2024-25-school-assessment-results
- Karin H. James and Laura Engelhardt, The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children:
The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children - PMC
- 2023 systematic review on screen time and cognitive/language development:
The Relationship between Language and Technology: How Screen Time Affects Language Development in Early Life—A Systematic Review