Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Eanes ISD Schools

Dear Superintendent Koennecke and Eanes ISD Board of Trustees,

We urge Eanes ISD to rethink the use of technology in our schools and to reduce reliance on EdTech and screens, especially for our youngest students. Our goal is not to eliminate technology. It is to restore balance so that technology serves learning rather than replacing proven teaching methods.

Adoption has outpaced the evidence. Research shows that screen overexposure is shortening students' attention spans while crowding out deep thinking, social development, and emotional regulation. Meanwhile, the learning payoff isn’t there. Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testified before the U.S. Senate this year that “most general-use educational technologies perform below the effectiveness of ordinary classroom instruction.” He also said that global test score declines have closely tracked the rise of classroom devices. 

Technology should be used by design, not by default. Every program and device should earn its place through independent evidence that it works better than strong non-digital teaching, not through vendor claims or corporate partnerships. Our children deserve instruction built on how they learn best, not on what’s newest.

Other districts are already acting. Los Angeles Unified, the nation’s second-largest district, has begun meaningful screen-time reform. Eanes ISD’s reputation for excellence reaches well beyond Texas, and that reputation brings a responsibility to lead rather than lag.

We respectfully urge Eanes ISD to:

Build a foundation for long-term achievement

1. Prioritize analog learning in elementary and middle school. Make physical books, handwriting, paper assignments, hands-on activities, and teacher-led instruction the foundation of the curriculum. Research indicates stronger comprehension and retention with print materials.
2. Remove devices from classrooms through 2nd grade. Make exceptions only for mandated assessments and for assistive technology required under IEPs or Section 504 plans. Children at this age need hands-on, in-person learning above all else.
3. End 1:1 device programs in grades 3–8. Move to shared laptop carts and computer labs. Permanently assigning devices to children leads to excessive, unmonitored screen exposure.

Set clear limits and guardrails

4. Set enforceable screen-time limits by grade level. Establish daily and weekly maximums on district devices, with less screen time for younger students. Use screens only when they offer educational value that cannot be replicated offline.
5. Keep unstructured time screen-free. Prohibit device use during passing periods, lunch, recess, and free time in elementary and middle school, because these moments are critical for social development. Do not use screen time as a reward or behavioral incentive.
6. Block non-educational platforms. Prohibit student access to YouTube, social media, and non-instructional gaming on district devices.
7. Pause student use of generative AI until independent research supports it. Disable student access to generative AI tools on school-issued devices until they are shown to be safe, effective, and compliant with student privacy law, and until age-appropriate guidelines exist. Do not enter student work into AI systems, including for grading, without written consent from both the student and a parent or guardian.

Ensure accountability and transparency

8. Audit current screen use and publish a plan. Publish a district-wide assessment of classroom screen use. Set a timeline for revising technology policies, and provide regular public progress updates.
9. Give parents transparency and opt-out rights. Provide weekly reports on each child’s activity on district devices and on screen-based instruction. Let parents opt out of specific EdTech services where low-tech alternatives exist. Require parental consent for data collection wherever COPPA and other privacy laws mandate it.
10. Independently vet all EdTech contracts. Evaluate products for educational value and data privacy through independent review, not vendor-supplied research alone. Require accountability mechanisms in every contract and ad-free experiences in all student-facing programs.
11. Teach students to use technology wisely. Give teachers consistent, evidence-based guidance for discussing with students how technology affects learning and how to use it safely, in and out of the classroom.

Eanes ISD has an opportunity to set a new standard for thoughtful, developmentally appropriate education, one that puts strong teaching, human connection, and real-world learning first. We ask that these recommendations be placed on an upcoming board agenda, and we welcome the opportunity to meet with you.

Sincerely, 
The undersigned