SB 1128: Pupils: technology-based materials: school-issued electronic devices.

Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district, when adopting instructional materials for use in school, to include relevant technology-based materials, defined for these purposes to mean basic or supplemental instructional materials that are designed for use by pupils and teachers as learning resources and that require the availability of electronic equipment in order to be used as a learning resource, and including the electronic equipment required to make use of those materials used by pupils and teachers as a learning resource, including, but not limited to, laptop computers and devices that provide internet access. Existing law prohibits a school official from requiring a pupil to purchase any instructional materials for the pupils use in the school, except as provided.

Commencing with the 202728 school year, this bill would prohibit, unless necessary under a specified circumstance, a school district, county office of education, or charter school from requiring a pupil in kindergarten, including a pupil in transitional kindergarten, to take home a school-issued electronic device, as defined, except that a local educational agency may authorize those pupils to take home a school-issued electronic device. The bill would encourage local educational agencies to regularly review and update their policies related to pupils screen time and, in conducting that review, to solicit input from, among others, currently employed teachers and school administrators.

This bill would require the State Department of Education, on or before July 1, 2027, to (1) develop and post curate and maintain on its internet website model policies resources for the age-appropriate use of school-issued screen time and electronic devices in school and to device use in schools and guidance on how to transition take-home school-issued electronic devices into dedicated classroom-based electronic devices and how to participate in e-waste recycling or buy-back programs, and (2) take into consideration when developing those policies, curating the resources and guidance, among other things, developmentally appropriate screen exposure time at each grade level and (2) provide guidance and resources to 5 or more local educational agencies that elect to participate in a pilot to remove take-home school-issued electronic devices from pupils, as specified. level.