The U.S. Department of Education issued new guidelines on Thursday, pushing states and school districts to prioritize proven academic value over entertainment when bringing technology into the classroom.
The guidance, issued as a “Dear Colleague Letter,” calls on local leaders to keep decision-making in the hands of communities while balancing modern innovation with educator judgment, parent transparency, and independent evidence.
Federal officials drew a clear line between recreational digital devices and deliberate instructional tools.
“Cell phones and algorithm-driven social media distract students from learning and undermine the focused classroom environments they need to succeed. States and schools are right to take steps to remove those distractions,” said Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Kirsten Baesler.
“In contrast, instructional technologies should be judged by their impact on learning, not simply whether they happen on a screen,” Baesler added. “The same tools that can distract during recreational use can also expand access to advanced courses, support students with disabilities, and help close learning gaps, when used wisely. The Trump Administration hopes that as states ground their decisions in evidence and educational value, technology is a meaningful tool to improve student outcomes.”
Under the new guidance, school districts are advised to select ed-tech tools with demonstrable records of success, provide proper staff training, and regularly review whether the software works. Tech vendors are likewise urged to design evidence-backed tools that avoid unnecessary screen time.
The Department also stated that schools must remain transparent with families about screen hours and data privacy, urging administrators to pull the plug on any product that repeatedly fails to boost academic performance.
According to the letter, every educational product should answer five fundamental questions before adoption: what problem it solves, when it should be used, who it serves, how long it should be used, and what evidence proves it improves learning.
Thursday’s release builds on a July 2025 directive from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, which established five core principles for artificial intelligence in schools: ensuring tech remains educator-led, ethical, accessible, transparent, and protective of student data.
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