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Richardson ISD considers limiting screen time in classroom

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Published  May 14, 2026 4:59pm CDT
Richardson
FOX 4

The Brief

    • Richardson ISD is taking a closer look at the role technology and screens play in their classrooms.
    • The district says parents have raised concerns about whether too much screen time impacts students' ability to concentrate and socialize.
    • The conversation comes after Los Angeles United became the first school district in the country to restrict laptop and tablet use in the classroom.

RICHARDSON, Texas - As the conversation around screen time in the classroom gets louder across the country, Richardson ISD is looking at its own use of technology.

Richardson ISD technology report

What we know:

Tabitha Branum, the superintendent of Richardson ISD, says she is presenting an official update on the district's technology review at the Board of Trustees meeting on May 14.

Branum's letter to RISD families says their review will focus on clear limits on screen time to support student wellness, as well as ensuring technology is not used as a default tool in the classroom.

Parents in Richardson ISD reached out to Branum with concerns over the level of technology usage in their classrooms. 

Primary concerns included an overdependence on screens that results in concentration and relationship issues.

Findings from the review will be presented at a Richardson ISD Board of Trustees meeting on May 14.

Dig deeper:

In April, Los Angeles United became the first school district in the country to place limits on screen time and laptop usage in the classroom.

The move is designed to encourage more paper and pencil assignments.

COVID-era technology boom in schools

What they're saying:

Dr. Phil Nichols of Baylor University spoke to FOX 4's Lori Brown about how the usage of technology in classrooms necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic never went away.

"A lot of those things have entered classrooms without a kind of proven record or like evidence that says that they're effective," Nichols says.

Dr. Phil Nichols

Nichols says these discussions are an opportunity for schools to take a more cautious approach on adopting new technologies and encourage more classroom interaction.

"We learn together. That's why we go to school,"

Local perspective:

Brown's daughter Bella is a student in Richardson ISD, and she says she enjoys working on paper more than her screens.

"I like doing work on paper because then I can show my work more," Bella said. 

"They did just give us, last year, new pens to write on the screen, but our handwriting is way messier, and we always have to use the text on our iPad."

What's next:

The Richardson ISD Board of Trustees meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday. 

Branum will provide an update on the work session involving the technology review on Friday.

The Source: Information in this story comes from Richardson ISD.

RichardsonEducation