State lawmakers examine cost, impact of classroom technology
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - A legislative committee is searching for ways to make classroom technology spending more effective and asking whether Kentucky students are getting too much screen time.
The Kentucky legislature’s Budget Review Subcommittee on Education held a meeting Wednesday morning. Members heard information from other states and entities to better understand the Commonwealth’s position regarding responsible classroom technology investments and screen time.
North Carolina shares cost management approach
Andrew Smith, an education policy advisor for the North Carolina State Senate, shared details of legislation he helped pass last year. Smith said the goal was better fiscal management and accountability for school-issued devices.
Smith said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, his state’s student-to-Chromebook ratio became one-to-one. Now, most of those devices are outdated. He said states need a sustainability plan and a refresh cycle to maximize every dollar and support learning outcomes.
The legislation requires that when school districts consider purchasing technology for students, they weigh the long-term cost of ownership, flexibility for innovation during the device’s useful life, and expected resale value. Districts must then report that data publicly each year for transparency.
“We need to change the way districts and schools think about these purchases. We need to move beyond buying technology to managing technology,” Smith said.
Screentime consultant raises concerns
Emily Cherkin, a screen time consultant from Washington state, testified about technology’s impact on developing minds. She said Kentucky spends $16 million a year on education technology, but added these investments have not improved educational outcomes nationwide.
Cherkin said ed tech shares the same business model as big tech, and both work against healthy child development. She told legislators Chromebooks have changed childhood, undermined parents and teachers, and hurt education.
The consultant provided a dozen recommendations to balance education technology, including prioritizing paper-based curriculum, using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi, and removing the one-to-one device ratio for younger students.
“Ed tech is not tech ed. Children need technology education more than ever, but no tech skills will matter if children do not first learn how to communicate, think critically, or problem solve,” Cherkin said.
Kentucky education officials respond
David Couch, chief information officer for the Kentucky Department of Education, also testified before lawmakers. He said he believes schools across the Commonwealth have been responsible regarding balancing technology and investing taxpayer dollars.
“You will always have extreme examples of that, not staying on top of that as well as you should have, but it is not the norm of a day-to-day kind of environment that’s happening in our school systems,” Couch said.
Couch agreed there is room to improve how schools use technology, but pointed to the state auditor, who he said called Kentucky’s tech system a noteworthy accomplishment. Couch said districts already block certain sites and can set their own screen caps.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski (D-District 32) said she wants the Kentucky Department of Education to pull more data on screen time and app visits from a contractor the state pays $600,000 for.
“I would like to know that so that we can make a more educated decision on what we need to do to address the issue,” Bojanowski said.
Some Kentucky districts, including Fleming County, already limit classroom screen time.
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