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Fairfax County Public Schools will allow parents of preschool and elementary students to decline take-home laptops and tablets during the 2026-27 school year, even as the School Board postponed decisions on broader classroom technology restrictions.

The change followed a contentious June 11 meeting marked by sharp disagreements over screen time, artificial intelligence and whether the board was moving quickly enough to address concerns about technology’s role in schools.

FCPS staff must establish the take-home device opt-out system by August. Superintendent Michelle Reid said families already have that option, but it is not clearly presented on the forms parents sign before the school year.

Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, who introduced the successful motion, said the new system would give families greater clarity and transparency.

The policy applies only to devices sent home overnight. It does not allow students to opt out of all classroom technology.

Broader restrictions pushed to 2027-28

Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren entered the meeting with three proposals. They would have required annual parental permission before school devices could go home, prohibited device use in pre-kindergarten through second grade, kept devices in classrooms for the remainder of elementary school and directed the superintendent to create a digital literacy plan barring artificial intelligence use through eighth grade.

At the start of the discussion, the board voted 7-5 to combine the proposals through a motion from Braddock District Representative Tom Dannan.

Instead of immediately changing those policies, the board directed Reid to work with the newly formed Educational Technology Review Committee and return with recommendations by Nov. 12 for implementation in the 2027-28 school year.

That motion passed 10-1. Ricardy Anderson cast the opposing vote, while Meren was away from the dais.

Meren accused colleagues of limiting debate and delaying concrete action.

“We don’t need to wait,” she said. “We need to pull the plug now because we know it’s not good for kids.”

Other board members said Meren’s original proposals lacked enough support to pass but argued that the combined motion preserved a path toward future restrictions.

Dannan said major policy changes could not be made simply with only a few months before the next school year. The district must account for state testing, accommodations for students with disabilities and the physical limitations of classrooms, he said.

Springfield District Representative and Board Chair Sandy Anderson described the compromise as a practical way forward. With the school year nearly over, she said, teachers were likely concerned about the prospect of having their curricula changed during the summer.

At-Large Representative Ryan McElveen also criticized the process, saying the combined motion made the issue more complicated. At-Large Representative Ilryong Moon unsuccessfully sought to postpone the discussion until a June 23 work session on instructional technology.

Ricardy Anderson warned that waiting another year to provide any relief could provoke a strong backlash from families.

“We have got to make some changes for this upcoming school year,” she said. “Otherwise, we will have a mutiny on our hands.”

Students, parents and teachers press for limits

Technology became more deeply embedded in classrooms over the past decade as schools adopted one-to-one programs providing every student with a laptop or tablet. That reliance grew during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when FCPS and other school divisions shifted to online learning.

Some families now argue that the district has become too dependent on screens.

During public comments, members of FCPS Parents for Intentional Technology urged the board to impose stronger limits.

Oakton Elementary School fourth-grader Isabel Cheng said she spends several hours each day on a computer and described her most recent school year as “very tech heavy.”

High school student Juliet Gregory said blocking particular websites was insufficient because students routinely find ways around the restrictions. When computers come out, she said, screens often fill with gaming sites.

Faiza Alam, a teacher at Katherine Johnson Middle School, told the board that digital devices are distracting students and damaging their ability to learn.

“FCPS has never been afraid to lead,” Alam said. “Now let’s lead again through course correction. Our students need more protection and guardrails.”

FCPS Parents for Intentional Technology welcomed the take-home opt-out for younger students but said the district should eliminate devices in pre-kindergarten through second grade and offer a full device opt-out across all grades before the 2026-27 school year.

The organization cited recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Federation of Teachers and a U.S. surgeon general’s advisory in calling for reduced or eliminated screen time among younger children.

Technology rules will remain on the board’s agenda as FCPS develops an artificial intelligence policy. AI and possible screen-time restrictions are also scheduled for discussion by the board’s governance committee.

The district has already adopted a policy requiring students to turn off and put away cellphones throughout the regular school day. That policy aligns with state legislation taking effect July 1.