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Members of the Kansas State Board of Education during their August meeting will finalize the framework for the blue-ribbon task force charged with developing recommendations for K-12 students’ digital device use during and outside of school hours.
During their July meeting, board members authorized Dr. Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner, to form the working group charged with creating guidance for addressing several areas regarding the use of digital devices by K-12 Kansas students.
“It’s going to take a concerted effort to address the amount of time our children spend on their own devices during instructional time,” said Melanie Haas, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, in July when the board announced the task force. “We as parents and elected officials need to help our children use technology and social media in safer, more beneficial ways.”
The 30-member task force is comprised of two state school board members, two legislators, two information technology professionals, local school board members, students, parents, classroom teachers, building administrators, and superintendents.
Board members will receive the task force’s recommendations in November before voting on a non-binding policy or guidance in December. This research-based guidance to school districts is expected to provide parameters for the use of personal devices during school, the appropriate amount of screen time for children under the age of 18 and the use of school-issued devices outside of school.
The task force will meet weekly during the next several months, beginning Aug. 22, via publicly available, live-streamed Zoom meetings on Thursdays.
This initiative follows the recent U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory calling for “engaging in a multifaceted effort to maximize the benefits and reduce the risk of harm posed by social media with actions suggested for groups including children and adolescents, policymakers, technology companies, researchers, and families.”
Other items or presentations board members will address or hear during their August meeting include:
Click here for a full agenda and meeting materials for the meeting, August 13-14, 900 S.W. Jackson, in Topeka.
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Denise Kahler (785) 296-4876 dkahler@ksde.org
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