Schools Beyond Screens - Chicago CPS

A Community of Schools Beyond Screens
Chicago, IL

Our Mission

We are a grassroots group of parents, teachers and administrators making the case for intentional, evidence-based classroom technology policy at Chicago Public Schools

Part of a growing national movement of parents taking action
Actively organizing

What joining looks like

Parents in your area, taking action together
You're not the only one. Your local chapter is already active.
A clear next step from day one
You'll get a welcome and clear guidance along the way
Expert-backed playbooks
Step-by-step guides built from what's already working in other communities
No pressure, no spam
Join to stay informed. Get involved at whatever pace works for you.

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Upcoming Events

In-Person

Schools Beyond Screens | Chicago CPS

CPS Board Meeting: September 10th

September 10, 2026
10:30 AM CDT - 12:30 PM CDT
Ed Tech
We're going to the CPS Board of Education meeting, and we need you there. Our petition has real momentum, and now it's time to bring that parent voice into the room. We're asking the Board to support our petition language and to take up a resolution to consider a real, intentional technology policy for CPS. Our goal: 25 parents signed up to give public comment. That's a big number, and it's meant to be. When 25 parents stand up, one after another, and say the same thing in their own words, the Board cannot dismiss it as one or two loud voices. It becomes impossible to ignore. Can't imagine speaking in public? You can still make a huge difference just by showing up. We want as many observers in the room as possible. A packed room sends its own message, and it makes every speaker feel less alone at that podium. Two ways to be part of this: 🎀 Public Commenter (In-person or virtually) Sign up for 2 minutes at the podium to share your perspective as a CPS parent. We'll give you a sample script and resources to start from and you're welcome to make it your own. Real stories move boards more than statistics do. πŸͺ‘ Observer Come sit with us. Fill the seats. Your presence tells the Board this matters to the community, even if you never say a word. (Can't attend in person? Written comments are also accepted; ask us about the write-in option.) FOR THOSE THAT CAN ATTEND, here's what happens next: 1. We'll get in touch with you and have a preview meeting with all speakers. We can help answer your questions. 2. You'll need to formally sign up as a public speaker during the 24 hour sign up window (And we'll send you these instructions via email too) How to sign up for public comment at the board website: Registration opens: Tuesday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. Registration closes: Wednesday, September 9 at 10:30 a.m. Anyone can sign up during this 24-hour window Selection is by lottery after registration closes (e.g., if 100 people register, the lottery might select 20 speakers) β€” this gives everyone a fair shot Register online (recommended): www.cpsboe.org Register by phone: (773) 553-1600 CPS BoE Meeting Details: https://www.cpsboe.org/meetings/details/5478 Questions? Message us here or reach out to schoolsbeyondscreens.cps@gmail.com. We'll walk you through everything, from signing up to what to expect once you're in the room. Let's fill that room.
In-Person

Schools Beyond Screens | Chicago CPS

CPS Board Meeting: September 24th

September 24, 2026
10:30 AM CDT - 12:30 PM CDT
Ed Tech
We're going to the CPS Board of Education meeting, and we need you there. Our petition has real momentum, and now it's time to bring that parent voice into the room. We're asking the Board to support our petition language and to take up a resolution to consider a real, intentional technology policy for CPS. Our goal: 25 parents signed up to give public comment. That's a big number, and it's meant to be. When 25 parents stand up, one after another, and say the same thing in their own words, the Board cannot dismiss it as one or two loud voices. It becomes impossible to ignore. Can't imagine speaking in public? You can still make a huge difference just by showing up. We want as many observers in the room as possible. A packed room sends its own message, and it makes every speaker feel less alone at that podium. Two ways to be part of this: 🎀 Public Commenter (in-person or virtually) Sign up for a few minutes at the podium to share your perspective as a CPS parent. We'll give you a sample script to start from and you're welcome to make it your own. Real stories move boards more than statistics do. πŸͺ‘ Observer Come sit with us. Fill the seats. Your presence tells the Board this matters to the community, even if you never say a word. (Can't attend in person? Written comments are also accepted; ask us about the write-in option.) FOR THOSE THAT CAN ATTEND, here's what happens next: 1. We'll get in touch with you and have a preview meeting with all speakers. We can help answer your questions. 2. You'll need to formally sign up as a public speaker during the 24 hour sign up window (And we'll send you these instructions via email too) How to sign up for public comment at the board website: How to sign up for public comment at the board website: Registration opens: Tuesday, September 22 at 10:30 a.m. Registration closes: Wednesday, September 23 at 10:30 a.m. Anyone can sign up during this 24-hour window Selection is by lottery after registration closes (e.g., if 100 people register, the lottery might select 20 speakers) β€” this gives everyone a fair shot Register online (recommended): www.cpsboe.org Register by phone: (773) 553-1600 CPS BoE Meeting Details: https://www.cpsboe.org/meetings/details/5478 Questions? Message us here or reach out to schoolsbeyondscreens.cps@gmail.com. We'll walk you through everything, from signing up to what to expect once you're in the room. Let's fill that room.

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Chicago CPS

Join Schools Beyond Screens Chicago At The September CPS Board Meetings

We've built something powerful together: over 1,000 Chicago parents and educators (and counting), all saying the same thing, that our kids need real limits on screen time at school. Now it's time to bring that parent voice directly to the CPS Board of Education. We're asking the Board to do one thing: take up a resolution to consider a real, intentional technology policy for CPS. Board members need to hear, directly from parents and community members, that this isn't a fringe concern. It's a shared concern among the families they represent. We know not everyone is comfortable speaking in public, and not everyone is free during the morning hours for a board meeting. So we're offering two ways to help, pick whichever fits you. NOTE: You can only sign up for one meeting, CPS rules prevent speaking at back-to-back meetings

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Chicago CPS

Building This Together: Principals and Teachers, We Want to Hear From You

We're a group of CPS parents working on a petition about screen time in schools, but we know something's missing: your voice. You're in the classroom every day and you know what's realistic and what we might be overlooking. That's why we've put together two short surveys, one for principals and one for teachers, to hear your honest thoughts. Your responses are confidential and will help us shape a stronger, fairer proposal for CPS. You can also read the full petition here.

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Chicago CPS

A parent-led community asking CPS to bring intention back to technology in the classroom

Maybe you've had that moment at pickup where another parent mentions screen time and you both just sigh. Or maybe this is the first time you're thinking about it at all. Either way, welcome. Schools Beyond Screens Chicago CPS is a parent-led community coming together to help our kids thrive at school. We believe children learn best when they're curious, connected, and fully present, with real play, real conversation, and hands on learning at the center of their day. We're asking Chicago Public Schools to set thoughtful limits on classroom screen time, not because we're against technology, but because we want intention behind how it's used. This is something we're building together, as a community that already cares deeply about our kids and simply wants to do right by them. We are in the process of building a multi-pronged approach of gathering community support, requesting data and anecdotes from principals, and meeting with admins at both the school and CPS level. Here is how we get started.

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