Relating to student instructional technology standards, including elementary school digital instruction limits, technology use policies, and governance of one-to-one digital device programs

This bill relates to student instructional technology standards, including elementary school digital instruction limits, technology use policies, and governance of one-to-one digital device programs. The bill requires school districts, charter schools, and innovation school zones to comply with student instructional technology standards. The bill establishes limits on digital instruction for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade five. Digital instruction may not exceed minutes per school day. Certain uses of instructional technology are excluded from the daily limit, including technology required for students with individualized education programs or disability accommodation plans, assistive or adaptive technology necessary to provide access to instruction, teacher-directed instruction using display devices when students are not individually operating a digital device, state assessments and progress monitoring that requires the use of a one-to-one digital device, and dedicated computer science and technology curriculum. The bill requires each school district to adopt a written instructional technology use policy applicable to grades kindergarten through five. The policy must include daily digital instruction limits, a list of digital platforms and applications used for instruction, notice of a parent’s or guardian’s right to request additional reductions in their child’s digital instruction, and a statement that instructional technology shall support and not supplant foundational learning. The policy must be made publicly available on each elementary school’s internet site. The bill further establishes governance and transparency requirements for one-to-one digital device programs. Prior to adopting or renewing a one-to-one digital device program, a school district must complete a technology adoption checklist documenting consideration of instructional purpose, age appropriateness, content-filtering limitations, and student data practices. The checklist must be retained by the school district and made available to the department of education upon request. School districts must also make publicly available information regarding one-to-one digital device programs and parental opt-out options.