Kansas State Board of Education starts work on technology use policies for public schools

Members of the state board expressed a range of personal views on implications of technology in schools while discussing either a recommendation or requirement that districts adopt technology plans that kept best interests of students at the forefront. Concern was expressed by Republicans and Democrats on the state board that too much technology was detrimental to students, especially children in early grades.

“We have to be the leaders to make sure people understand that there are negative consequences,” said Jim Porter, a Fredonia Republican member of the board and a former teacher, principal and superintendent. “There are significant negative consequences. Now that we know that, we have to communicate that.”

There was conversation among board members about imposing a ban on classroom technology until students reached the third grade.

“Screens don’t belong in kindergarten. The end. It’s static. It’s not engaging,” said Melanie Haas, a Democrat from Overland Park on the state board. “I would like to see a ban through second grade.”

The state board could impose a powerful incentive for districts to comply with a ban by including it in accreditation standards applicable to public schools statewide.

Board member Danny Zeck, a Republican from Leavenworth, said the state board’s adoption of meaningful restraint on instructional technology had the potential — however small — to discourage the Legislature from wading into the subject. He said legislators during the 2026 session imposed a near-prohibition on student possession of cellphones during school hours. That controversial bell-to-bell moratorium at public and private schools was signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly.

“What’s going to happen is we’re going to do a great job, give good guidance and then the Legislature is going to come in and do their stupid stuff,” Zeck said.

Members of the State Board of Education appeared eager to share model policy on technology that could be adapted to needs of individual districts. A one-size-fits-all policy could be difficult because Kansas has districts with enrollments ranging from less than 100 students to more than 45,000 students.

“We do have longitudinal data that paper, pencil and books have given our nation a great education for a lot of years,” said state board member Debby Potter of Garden Plain.

Board member Michelle Dombrosky of Olathe said reliance on technology in classes could reduce student retention and comprehension of information. Excessive dedication to technology has been tied to worsening anxiety and mental health challenges of students, she said.

The board discussed whether limits on technology could require districts to adjust budgets to account for the purchase of more textbooks. In addition, the state board pointed to potential complications of compelling students to perform class assignments with pencil and paper and subsequently making them take standardized assessments online.

Jake Steel, recently appointed Kansas commissioner of education, advised the state board to be careful with regulatory mandates on schools. Technology reform could be enforced by linking policy to accreditation standards, he said, but a less aggressive approach would be to engage in “public shaming” by posting online the school districts that did or didn’t adopt a framework for dealing with student technology.

“We’ve got to be very judicious about what we’re going to put in regulation because it takes forever to get in and it’s not easy to get out,” Steel said.