Proposals for Reform

Los Angeles has always been at the forefront of American culture. We set the trends, the rest of the country follows. We believe LAUSD has the opportunity to lead the nation in adopting a kid-centered, evidence-based, tech-intentional approach to education, just as we led with the cellphone ban. To this end, we have drafted a variety of proposals to reform the use of technology in our schools:

Near-Term Goals

  • Articulate a clear vision & mission statement for our approach to technology

  • Re-establish a Technology Advisory Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, students, and independent experts (no industry influence)

  • Block YouTube on student devices, at least in TK-5 (teachers could still show educational videos on the projector, or embed them into instructional materials as required)

  • Require opt-in for any generative AI tools, such as Google Gemini or ChatGPT

  • Provide parents with a weekly report of their students’ online activity, akin to the weekly Schoology report

  • Obtain explicit parental consent for each app that collects data, per the new FTC guidelines on COPPA

  • Require principals to publish a list of digital tools available on student devices

  • Clarify that i-Ready weekly MyPath minutes are not required for students or teachers

  • Collect feedback from the community on EdTech/screen use via surveys and Town Hall meetings

  • Provide PD, resource grants, and planning time to teachers to offer alternate, low-tech alternatives during free time, inclement weather, or for students whose families wish to opt out of digital tools

  • Provide education to families about the health risks of excessive screen use, and how to identify & manage issues like screen addiction

  • Hold a series of board meetings on technology issues, with testimony from independent experts

Long-Term Goals

  • Review all tech products & policies to ensure they’re safe, effective & legal, and place kids’ needs over corporate profits

  • Re-evaluate i-Ready before contract expires in 2028

  • Reconsider 1:1 model by grade level (no devices for youngest kids)

  • Formalize digital literacy & skill building curriculum—teach skills before granting access

  • Reinvest in teacher-led, analog alternatives

  • Draft a Tech Bill of Rights for Students