School-Issued Device Usage & Screen Time at APS

Are you concerned about how often your child is using a device at school? You’re not alone. 

This page is designed to help APS parents understand the issues around school-issued device use and screen time, know what questions to ask, and take action at the local, state, and national level.

60% of parents would opt-out their elementary school children from iPad use if given the opportunity.

You’re Not Alone

Parents are increasingly asking how much screen time is appropriate during the school day, what digital products are being used, and who is responsible for protecting student privacy. These are reasonable questions and asking them matters.

What You Can Do

Share Your Concern and your Story

You can help by sharing your experience and why this issue matters right now for your child or family. Personal stories make an impact.

Speak at a School Board Meeting

School Board meetings are held on Thursdays.
The sign-up link to speak will be posted here closer to the meeting.

Ask About Opting Out

Parents have successfully asked to opt their children out of certain device use.
Read one family’s successful opt-out experience here.
Learn more about why opting out matters.

If you decide you do not consent to your child’s use of certain digital products, ask your school administrators what opt-out options exist and what alternative instruction may be provided.

Email School Board Members Individually

Use our contact list here to email School Board members directly.

For the greatest impact, email each School Board member one-on-one. Emails sent to school.board@apsva.us are not forwarded to individual members. Instead, members receive only a summary of topics, not your full message.

After emailing, share your note with five other parents who care about this issue and encourage them to reach out as well.

Need help drafting an email? Here’s a template.

Attend School Board Member Office Hours

Sign-up to attend School Board Member Office Hours
The sign-up link will be posted here  the Friday before.

76% of parents think reducing use of iPad and screentime should be a priority.

Source: September 25, 2025 APE Newsletter/Survey Results

Questions Parents Can Ask Respectfully

  • What digital products does my child use during the school day, and why?

  • Are screens used as a free-time or choice option?

  • What are the terms of service for these products?

  • How is my student protected from inappropriate content or contact?

  • For teachers of younger grades:
    What can parents do to help reduce screen use in the classroom (donating books, games, crayons, indoor recess activities, etc.)?

  • A critical question in any discussion:
    What independent evidence supports the use of these products as transformational or more effective than traditional, non-extractive methods of education?

  • And ultimately:
    I do not want my child to use these products in the classroom. I do not give my consent. What are the next steps?

Get Involved Beyond APS

State Level

Parents can also raise concerns at the state level by contacting their Virginia legislators and education committee leadership and urging thoughtful limits on screen time and stronger parental consent protections in public schools.

Virginia Senate — Public Education Subcommittee
(A subcommittee of the Senate Education & Health Committee focused on public education policy)

Chair: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg
Email: senatorvanvalkenburg@senate.virginia.gov

Virginia House of Delegates — Education Committee, K–12 Subcommittee
(The K–12 public education subcommittee of the House Education Committee)

Chair: Shelly A. Simonds
Email: DelSSimonds@house.virginia.gov

Parents may also contact their own House of Delegates members and State Senators to share concerns and ask for legislative attention to device use and screen time in schools. Find your state legislators here.

Federal Level

At the federal level, congressional committees are examining how technology and screen time affect children’s learning, development, and well-being. These hearings help explain the broader policy context shaping school technology decisions.

Why this matters to APS parents: Federal hearings surface research, expert testimony, and policy concerns that often influence state guidance, district practices, and future legislation related to school-issued devices and screen time.

Consent & Data Privacy

A major legal development is shaping the conversation around ed tech and parental consent.

Andy and Julie Liddell of the Ed Tech Law Center are leading a class-action case against PowerSchool, “a learning management and student information management system, alleging that PowerSchool generates, collects, uses, and shares information about them without proper consent.” In March 2025, the judge in this case affirmed that “ed tech companies must obtain informed parental consent before collecting children’s personal information and cannot rely on school consent alone.”

This ruling challenges the foundation of the ed tech business model and reinforces what many parents already believe: schools do not have unlimited authority to consent on behalf of families.


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