Burbio School Tracker 6/23: Off the Grid

1. We begin by examining the growing wave of state-level legislation aimed at restricting technology and screen time in K-12 classrooms, as lawmakers respond to concerns over student attention, learning outcomes, and developmental impacts.

Eleven states have passed legislation, and more than a dozen others have considered similar measures over the past year. While the details vary, enacted legislation generally falls into four categories:

• Limiting Screen Exposure: Iowa caps digital instruction for K-5 students at 60 minutes per day, while Utah prohibits classroom screen time in grades K-3 and restricts device use in later grades. Utah has also moved to roll back its one-to-one student device initiative. Alabama establishes screen-time limits in preschool and kindergarten settings, while Tennessee and Indiana require schools to prioritize teacher-led instruction and limit non-educational device use.
• Expanding Parental Oversight: Several states are introducing parental controls for device use outside of the classroom. Utah requires schools to provide monitoring and filtering options on school-issued devices, while Indiana allows parents to impose additional filtering and usage restrictions when devices are used at home.
• Addressing Technology Addiction: Legislators are increasingly framing screen time as a public health issue. Virginia requires instruction on the addictive nature of smartphones and computers, while Utah restricts the use of behavioral tracking and other design features intended to increase student engagement.
• AI and Vendor Accountability: States are also moving to limit the role of AI and strengthen oversight of educational technology vendors. Utah prohibits AI from independently grading student work or making high-stakes decisions, while Utah and Vermont have established new requirements for vendor accountability, effectiveness reviews, and technology registries.

Several states, including Maine and New Mexico, have commissioned formal studies on screen time, AI, and student privacy, potentially laying the groundwork for future legislation.

More than a dozen additional states considered, but did not enact, similar legislation. While many proposals mirrored enacted laws, several included provisions not yet adopted elsewhere that may serve as early indicators of future policy discussions:

• Total Parent Opt-Out Rights and Mandatory Print Materials: North Carolina SB 948 and Illinois SB 3735 would have allowed parents to completely opt students out of digital devices and online assignments, with North Carolina requiring printed instructional materials in K-8 classrooms.
• Hard Screen-Time Caps: Oklahoma HB 4358 proposed a strict one-hour daily screen-time limit for Pre-K through grade 5, while Alabama HB 584 included a two-hour cap and mandatory eye-strain breaks.
• Restrictions on Taking Devices Home: California SB 1128 would bar districts from requiring kindergarten students to take school-issued devices home, but would continue to allow optional take-home use.
• State-Supported Social Media Delays: California SB 1128 also proposed a state-backed “Wait Until 8th” initiative to discourage smartphone and social media use among younger students.
• Restrictions on AI Training and Student Biometrics: Illinois SB 3735 would have prohibited educational technology vendors from using student data to train AI models and banned facial recognition and other biometric technologies.
• Proactive AI Literacy Requirements: Rather than restricting AI, North Carolina SB 864 proposed mandatory AI literacy standards and educator professional development requirements across K-12 schools.

The Software & Information Industry Association is one of several organizations tracking legislation in this area and we would recommend following their work for tracking legislation progress.

2. Last week we reviewed school start dates nationally, tracked by our Calendar Intelligence service and used by suppliers to manage demand. Virginia illustrates how widely local school schedules can vary. While just over 50% of students return during the week of August 24, more than 30% start in the two preceding weeks.

Another example is Indiana, with districts split between August 3 and August 10 start dates. Even in a relatively small state, demand for back-to-school shopping, travel, childcare, tutoring, and other services can shift significantly from one community to the next.

3. We finish by continuing our review of district budget trends with three districts facing enrollment declines:

In Lawrence Public Schools, MA, the proposed FY2027 General Fund budget of $321.5 million represents a 5.4% increase over FY2026, while enrollment is projected to decline by just over 1% and enrollment-driven funding falls by $7.7 million.

• Reductions & Efficiencies: Educational supplies decline by $2.0 million, professional services by $1.5 million, and building repairs by $6.1 million.
• Strategic Investments: Teacher salaries increase by $6.0 million under new union agreements, alongside investments in early college programs, Abbott Lawrence Academy honors high school expansion, and special education.
• Facilities & Operations: Costs rise for heating fuel by $1.5 million and student transportation by $2.0 million.
• Notable Operational Shifts: State Chapter 70 aid increases by $14.5 million, while school choice tuition costs rise from $759,000 to $1.1 million.

In Salt Lake City School District, UT, the proposed FY2027 General Fund budget of $302.1 million reflects a 4.3% decrease from the prior year, driven by a projected 3.2% enrollment decline to 17,603 students.

• Reductions & Efficiencies: Spending reductions include 50 fewer FTE positions (38 instructional) and the elimination of the Technical Services Internal Service Fund.
• Strategic Investments: The district is funding employee compensation and health insurance increases while investing in solar and electrification projects expected to save $2.8 million annually.
• Capital Projects: Capital and debt service spending totals $202.6 million, supporting projects funded through the district's $730 million bond program, including high school rebuilds, athletic facilities, and energy modernization.
• Notable Operational Shifts: Local property taxes provide 61% of district funding, while 17% of collected property taxes are diverted to redevelopment agencies.

In Sioux Falls School District, SD, the district's FY2027 General Fund budget of $234.3 million is essentially flat, down 0.3% from the prior year, alongside a projected 1.4% enrollment decline.

• Reductions & Efficiencies: More than $2 million in savings were identified through transportation, technology, energy efficiency, and other operational changes.
• Strategic Investments: Savings and reserve funds will support a 2.5% staff salary increase, seven additional elementary teachers, and expanded special education services.
• Capital Projects: Nearly $12 million in capital projects are planned, including a CTE urban agriculture facility, Lincoln High School auditorium improvements, science classroom upgrades, and a community campus project.
• Notable Operational Shifts: Despite receiving only a 1.4% increase in state funding, the district lowered its reliance on voter-approved property tax revenue, reducing it from $12 million to $11 million.