SFIT’s response to SPS Leadership Press Conference on September 21, 2026

Seattle Families for Intentional Tech (SFIT) was excited to join Superintendent Shuldiner and his team during the district’s press conference to announce a shift to how technology is used in kindergarten through second grade classrooms, to begin January 4, 2027.

The Superintendent’s announcement to end 1:1 assigned devices in K-2nd and limit time on iPads in K-2nd grade to 30 minutes or fewer per day on January 4, 2027 is a welcome change that will have a positive impact on the Seattle Public School’s (SPS’s) youngest learners. This is a step in the right direction to support evidence-based learning, but there are many improvements that still need to be made. 

Building on this first step, SFIT would like to see SPS commit to the following quick wins to improve learning outcomes, mental health, and student safety: 

• Limit recreational screen time during the school day on both individual student devices and big screens in the classroom (e.g., no cartoons, movies, YouTube videos, or gaming)

• Introduce screen time caps for all grades in SPS, just as LAUSD and NYC have done 

• Pause generative AI use for students to give the district time to focus on safety, data privacy, and impact on critical thinking

We look forward to continuing our partnership with SPS. We believe there is so much opportunity for more research-backed intentionality and transparency regarding technology use and that this goes hand in hand with Superintendent Shuldiner’s goal of making Seattle the top urban school district in the US.