San Diego Unified is taking a learner-centered approach to technology use, ensuring digital tools are used purposefully to strengthen instruction while creating more opportunities for student engagement, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and meaningful human connection.
The Board of Education adopted the Learner-Centered Technology Use that Prioritizes Student Learning, Safety and Wellness Resolution on June 23, 2026. The resolution launches a year-long, research-informed process to review district technology practices and develop developmentally appropriate guidance for students across all grade levels.
Read the Board Resolution
Technology Use that Enhances Learning
Technology remains an important educational tool that provides students with access to instructional resources, individualized support, collaboration and learning opportunities. At the same time, the district recognizes the importance of balancing technology use with educator-led instruction, face-to-face interaction, and activities that support healthy child development.
The learner-centered approach to technology is intended to:
- Reduce unnecessary distractions and passive screen time.
- Ensure technology supports clear instructional purposes.
- Promote student wellness, safety and healthy development.
- Create more opportunities for communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.
- Develop age- and grade-appropriate expectations informed by research and community input.
What Families Can Expect
Families will receive updates as new guidance, tools and resources become available. Schools will also communicate changes that directly affect students at their campuses.
Families can support healthy technology habits by:
- Talking with students about balancing screen use with sleep, physical activity, reading and face-to-face interaction.
- Reinforcing that district-issued devices should primarily be used for learning.
- Using available parent controls to manage access outside school hours.
- Reviewing future grade-level guidance as it is released.
Learn About Blocksi Parent Controls
Timeline
June 23, 2026: Resolution Adopted
The Board of Education adopted the Learner-Centered Technology Use Resolution, establishing a framework for reviewing technology practices, revising related policies and developing grade-level guidance in partnership with educators, students, families, researchers and community partners.
Completed by August 10, 2026: First phase of changes
Instructional access to video-streaming platforms
Video-streaming platforms such as YouTube are restricted on district-issued student Chromebooks. Educators may enable access when needed to support a specific instructional activity or learning outcome.
Restrictions on non-instructional gaming
Non-instructional gaming platforms are not accessible on district-issued student devices.
Changes in Transitional Kindergarten classrooms
Computer carts were removed from TK classrooms. Students continue to have access to devices when required by an Individualized Education Program, Section 504 Plan or linguistic need.
August 2026: Community Partnership & Committee Formation
Planned activities:
- Recruit representatives from key educational partner groups.
- Request committee nominations by August 28, 2026.
- Finalize and announce committee membership.
- Seek Board approval on August 25, 2026, for a proposed partnership with Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development.
Fall 2026: A Collaborative, Research-Informed Process
The next phases of this work will be developed collaboratively. San Diego Unified will bring together students, families, educators, labor partners, researchers, community organizations and representatives from district advisory groups to help evaluate current practices and develop future recommendations.
The district and its research partners will begin reviewing current practices and gathering input from educational partners. This work is expected to include:
- Meeting monthly to review relevant research, current technology practices and existing policies.
- Gathering input from students, families, educators, labor partners, CAC, DAC, DELAC and family organizations.
- Developing age-appropriate, grade-level guidance and future recommendations.
- Recommending training, digital citizenship lessons, family resources and application-use guidance for educators, students and families.
Winter 2026-27: Second phase of recommendations and guidance
Early elementary device model
- Maintain a shared computer-cart or technology-lab model for kindergarten and first grade.
- Begin transitioning second grade toward the same shared-device model.
Grade-level guidance
- Develop device-use guidance by grade level, subject, linguistic need and student disability.
- Emphasize technology as a supplement to – not a replacement for – educator-led instruction.
Chromebook access timeframes
- Establish appropriate Chromebook-use timeframes for elementary, middle and high school students.
- Restrict access outside those established timeframes.
School-site practices
Provide guidance that schools can use when developing site-level procedures, including possible expectations for:
- Limiting cumulative screen time.
- Restricting non-instructional device use during elementary and middle school lunch, recess and before- or after-school periods.
- Allowing elementary students to leave district-issued devices at school.
Training and family resources
- Offer professional learning on active versus passive technology use.
- Give families access and training for online parent-control tools.
- Provide information about district-approved applications and student-data privacy.
Spring/Summer 2027: Additional districtwide actions
- Limit artificial intelligence functions to district-approved applications.
- Require instructional applications and applications used on school devices to be free of advertising.
- Establish clear expectations for grade-appropriate digital citizenship instruction.
- Provide families with a process to opt out of taking district-issued devices home over summer.
- Continue reviewing instructional applications for security, privacy, legal compliance and educational value.
- Update the Acceptable Use Policy and related forms using current research and developmentally appropriate language.
Ongoing & Annually
- Annual reviews of approved instructional software, contracts, systems and processes.
- Public reporting on student application usage by grade level.
- Continued review of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
- Ongoing revisions based on research, outcomes and educational-partner feedback.
Updates & Resources