Schools Beyond Screens: A Growing Movement

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In recent years, schools across the country have watched screen time rise to unprecedented levels. Laptops, tablets, phones, and digital platforms have crept into nearly every corner of a child’s day—from morning announcements to homework at night. While technology can be a powerful tool, many parents and teachers are sounding the alarm: Are we losing something essential in exchange for convenience?

A new national initiative, Schools Beyond Screens, is stepping forward with an answer. This growing movement encourages balanced, developmentally appropriate use of technology in education and advocates for learning environments that put children—not devices—at the center.

Whether you are a parent worried about your child’s well-being or an educator struggling to navigate district tech requirements, this article will help you understand the goals of the Schools Beyond Screens movement and how it can support healthier, more engaged learning.

Why the Movement Emerged

Concerns about excessive classroom screen time have been building for more than a decade. Studies have linked high digital exposure with reduced attention spans, disrupted sleep, a drop in reading comprehension skills, social skil delays, and negative behavioral changes.

Meanwhile, teachers report rising classroom management difficulties and a sense that technology is replacing meaningful interaction.

Schools Beyond Screens emerged in response to these trends, bringing together educators, child development specialists, and parents who called for a more thoughtful approach.

What Schools Beyond Screens Advocates

This movement is not anti-technology but rather, it is designed to be pro-child. Its mission focuses on three pillars:

Balanced Technology Use: Setting age-appropriate limits on device use; Reducing unnecessary digital homework; Prioritizing hands-on, experiential lessons; Establishing “phone-free school days” or device-free zones

Evidence-Based Education Practices: Use direct instruction with guided practice, cooperative learning, outdoor education, movement and sensory-rich approaches

Child Well-Being as the Priority: Protecting vision and posture; Supporting mental health; Strengthening peer relationships; Encouraging imagination and creativity

Want to learn more and get involved?

By shifting the focus away from devices and back toward connection, enrichment, and exploration, the movement hopes to restore joy in learning.

What Schools Can Do Today

Your school doesn’t need a major policy overhaul to get started. These simple steps can begin moving a community toward healthier practices:

For Administrators

Conduct a schoolwide screen-time audit
Reevaluate digital homework policies
Provide professional development on low-tech teaching strategies
Adopt guidelines for phones and personal devices

For Teachers

Choose hands-on activities when possible
Incorporate movement breaks
Plan one or more lessons per day that are fully screen-free
Use outdoor learning spaces
Build routines that emphasize connection and collaboration

For Parents

Ask teachers about daily screen use
Encourage homework formats that don’t require devices
Support schools that set healthy limits
Model balanced digital habits at home (that’s a big one!)

Want to learn more and get involved?

A growing number of parents and teachers are embracing this balanced screens approach.

Check the Schools Without Screens website to learn more. Find out how it can help your students or your child, and what you can do. Now is the time to change the screen-culture.