PencilGoScreen time at school: a parent’s guide
Schools handed out devices fast, and now many are pulling back, especially for young children. This guide covers what’s changing, where, and what you can ask your child’s school for. Every fact has a source.
Last checked October 29, 2026.
The short answers
- Is my state limiting screens in school? Utah, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama have passed laws, and more states have bills. See every state.
- Is homework moving off screens? In some places, yes. Utah bans screen-based homework in K–6, and Henrico County, VA has ended digital homework in elementary school.
- Can I ask for paper homework? Yes. Here’s a note you can send.
- How common are screens in elementary class? In a Gallup survey reported in September 2026, about a quarter of elementary teachers said students use devices in all or most periods for main lessons. K-12 Dive
Guides
- School screen-time limits by state: 2026 trackerLaws passed, bills pending and district rules, with a source for every line. Checked monthly.
- Utah’s new rule: no screen homework through 6th gradeWhat H.B. 273 says, when it starts and who it covers.
- Can I ask for paper homework instead of a Chromebook?Where it’s already policy, plus a short note you can send the teacher.
Practice at home, on paper
PencilGo gives your child one short practice sheet a day, on paper. When it’s done, you take one photo. We mark it, show you what they got right and wrong, and pick the next sheet. About five minutes a day, free, and your child never touches a screen.
Print today’s free sheetInformation only, not legal advice. Spotted a change or a district we’ve missed? Write to [email protected].