The US is tightening regulations on the use of school equipment.

VTV.vn - School devices, once expected to bridge the digital divide in the US, are now causing controversy for increasing distractions in the classroom.

A student demonstrates how to use an iPad in a classroom in Arlington, Virginia, USA, on May 9, 2026. (Photo: AP)

The use of school devices is becoming a focal point of debate in the US, with many parents, teachers, and school districts arguing that the overuse of tablets, laptops, and learning apps is affecting students' ability to concentrate.

Just a few years ago, American public schools were aggressively equipping students with laptops, hoping that technology would be the future of education . However, after spending billions of dollars on equipment and online learning platforms, many schools are now having to reassess the impact of screens in the classroom.

In Los Angeles, middle school teacher Anna Soffer says Chromebooks—laptops running ChromeOS—have become “a world of distractions.” While she supports handwriting assignments, she still has to use laptops and online apps for some activities, and students are easily drawn to games like Minecraft.

The Unified Los Angeles School District, where Ms. Soffer teaches, recently became the first major school district in the U.S. to announce a halt to providing devices to younger students. The new policy, effective this fall, requires the removal of devices by the end of second grade, sets daily and weekly screen time limits for higher grades, blocks YouTube on school devices, and bans device use during lunch breaks and recess in elementary and middle schools.

This trend is spreading in the US. According to Ballotpedia, at least 14 states have proposed laws to limit screen time in schools. The federal government has also warned that excessive screen time among children and teenagers is becoming a public health concern.

A student demonstrates how to use an iPad in class at a parent-teacher meeting in Arlington, Virginia, USA, on May 9, 2026. (Photo: AP)

Many parents argue that school-provided devices undermine efforts to limit screen time at home. In Los Angeles, the group Schools Beyond Screens has been lobbying the school district to change its policy, with parents saying their children are doing homework, taking tests, and accessing learning material on computers almost every day.

The provision of digital equipment to students in the U.S. increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools shifted to online learning. By the 2021-2022 school year, 96% of U.S. public schools reported providing digital equipment to students in need, according to the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics.

However, reducing reliance on screens is not easy, especially for older students. Some school districts also consider the cost factor. Fresno Unified School District, the third largest school district in California, spends approximately $4 million annually repairing and replacing laptops, so it has asked 40,000 elementary school students to return their devices and switch to using only computers in class.

Meanwhile, many parents in Arlington, Virginia, want schools to allow their children to “move away from technology” and return to textbooks, paper, and pen. They argue that the issue isn't about denying the role of technology, but rather about controlling how students use devices in the school environment.

Source: https://vtv.vn/my-siet-chat-viec-su-dung-thiet-bi-hoc-duong-100260527170849398.htm