Oklahoma schools weigh the impact of growing student screen time

Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act

A laptop can open a world of information, but it can also change classroom routines. In Oklahoma, parents, teachers, districts, and lawmakers are debating how technology should be used during the school day.

The Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act was created by Senate Bill 1734. The Senate passed it 42-0 on March 23, 2026; the House passed it 89-0 on May 6; and Gov. Kevin Stitt approved it on May 12, 2026.

What Oklahoma’s new AI law requires?

Technology rules in Oklahoma now reach beyond phones and tablets. The Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act requires guidance for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in schools, bringing attention to how digital tools enter classrooms.

Under the law, student-facing AI tools must be age-appropriate and used with educator guidance. Schools also must notify parents about AI use and let parents opt children out, giving families a voice in school technology.

The screen time bill that stalled

Screen time is a separate issue from the state’s new AI rules. The Oklahoma Responsible Technology in Schools Act addresses artificial intelligence and emerging technology, while lawmakers separately considered a stricter limit aimed directly at younger students.

House Bill 4358 proposed limiting screen time for prekindergarten through fifth-grade students to one hour per school day. The House passed it 95-0 in March, but the measure did not receive final Senate approval and did not become law during the 2026 session.

Pandemic devices changed classrooms

During the COVID-19 pandemic, school systems across the United States greatly expanded one-to-one device programs to support remote and hybrid learning. Oklahoma districts also expanded access to laptops and tablets during this period.

Many school systems kept those devices after classrooms reopened. Education Week reported that by March 2021, 90% of district leaders said their middle and high schools provided a device for every student, while 84% reported the same for elementary students.

Parents want more pencil and paper

In Edmond, parent Katie Smith started Pencils Over Pixels-Edmond Public Schools to push for less screen use and greater reliance on physical learning materials. She has called for printed textbooks and devices only when digital tools provide a clear instructional advantage.

About 500 Edmond parents had signed a petition supporting the proposed board resolution, according to Smith. She also said parents in Stillwater, Norman, and Oakdale have raised similar concerns about heavy screen use and online lessons.

Little-known fact: A 2024 systematic review examined 88 studies comparing digital and print reading among children and adolescents.

AAP looks beyond minutes

The American Academy of Pediatrics now looks beyond a simple screen-time clock. Its 2026 guidance says researchers and families should consider content, context, quality, interactivity, and a child’s relationships when thinking about digital media use.

For school-age children, the AAP says digital media with learning goals can support reading and math when used in moderation. It connects excessive use with concerns involving attention, sleep, physical activity, and academic achievement.

Paper may help deep reading

Reading on paper and reading on screens can produce different results. A 2019 meta-analysis found a small negative effect on reading performance for screen reading compared with paper, with the difference appearing mainly for expository texts.

The finding does not mean screens are always worse. A newer 2024 systematic review found that results vary by reader age, text type, task, and other conditions, with no overall difference being the most common finding across studies.

Test scores tell a bigger story

Test scores cannot be used to prove that screens caused national changes. In 2024, fourth-grade reading scores fell two points from 2022, while fourth-grade mathematics scores rose two points, according to the Nation’s Report Card.

Numbers reflect influences beyond technology. Attendance, instruction, learning disruptions, circumstances, and factors can affect performance, so score trends should not be treated as evidence that devices alone caused achievement changes.

A teacher favors hands-on learning

Kasey Bennett was named the 2026 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year after teaching K-4 STEM at Northwest Heights Elementary in Durant. She has advocated for hands-on learning and warned about excessive reliance on one-to-one devices for younger students.

Bennett has said schools still need computers for assessments and computer classes. She favors purposeful technology use while giving students opportunities to build, touch, talk, move, and explore.

Putnam City uses teacher choice

Putnam City Public Schools has used iPads for years, including before the pandemic. The district says teachers decide when devices support learning, while students can access both physical and digital textbook versions at school.

Elementary and middle school students generally leave iPads on campus, while high school students can take them home. Devices remain important because state assessments and academic screeners are completed electronically, keeping some screen use unavoidable.

Welch takes a different path

Welch Public Schools discontinued its one-to-one Chromebook program for the 2026-27 school year. Superintendent Jeremy Ramsey said the district is emphasizing teacher-directed and hands-on learning while keeping Chromebooks available in school buildings when needed.

The district also ended the device fee described by Ramsey as a $30 repair charge. He said the school board voted unanimously for the change and that the community response was positive, while higher literacy scores remain a hoped-for outcome.

Screens still have useful jobs

Reducing screen time does not mean removing technology from every lesson. Digital tools can support research, accessibility, communication, simulations, collaboration, and online testing, especially when a device offers something a paper activity cannot easily provide.

That makes the purpose of screen use important. Watching a video, completing a math activity, writing an essay, using assistive software, and taking a state test are different tasks, so educators may need different rules.

Want to see how Oklahoma is tackling reading challenges? See how the state is expanding its statewide reading coach program.

Oklahoma schools face a balance question

Across Oklahoma, districts are taking different approaches to classroom technology. Some parents want stricter limits, some schools keep devices with teacher control, and others are scaling back one-to-one programs while keeping computers available for needs.

The debate is about balance rather than choosing technology or paper. Families and educators ask which tools improve learning, when print works better, and how schools protect time for reading, discussion, movement, and hands-on work.

Curious what else is shaping life in the Sooner State? See these 14 reasons Americans are leaving Oklahoma in 2026.

How much screen time should students have at school? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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