Inanna Balkin

Several U.S. states have passed laws in 2024 to restrict screen time for students in early grades, while others like Missouri and Oklahoma failed to enact similar measures. Legislation includes caps on digital instruction time and requirements for age-appropriate device policies, with some districts implementing incremental screen-time limits for middle and high school students.

Several U.S. states have passed laws in 2024 to restrict screen time for students in early education, with Iowa capping digital instruction at 60 minutes daily for K-5 students and Utah, Tennessee, and Alabama implementing similar regulations. Missouri and Oklahoma proposals failed despite initial legislative support, while the Los Angeles Unified School District introduced grade-specific screen time limits. A high school student emphasized the importance of teaching screen time management rather than restricting access.

Four U.S. states (Iowa, Utah, Tennessee, Alabama) have passed laws to limit screen time for students in early education, while Missouri and Oklahoma failed to enact similar measures. The legislation includes capping digital instruction time, requiring age-appropriate device policies, and prohibiting one-device-per-student ratios in elementary schools. Los Angeles Unified School District has also implemented systemwide screen time limits for students.