A Student Screen Time Playbook for School Leaders

As digital tools become increasingly embedded in K–12 classrooms, school leaders must navigate the complex and evolving landscape of screen time with clarity, intentionality, and a commitment to pedagogical excellence.

This guide, based on “Screens in Balance: Education, Technology, and Community Conversations,” serves as a comprehensive cheat sheet for understanding the types of screen time students encounter, the implications for learning and development, and the strategic actions school systems can take to build trust and ensure effective implementation.

Recommendations for School Leaders

As schools continue to integrate digital tools into everyday instruction, the role of leadership in managing screen time has never been more critical. School leaders are uniquely positioned to shape how technology is used, understood, and communicated across their communities. But effective screen time management is about ensuring that digital tools serve clear instructional purposes, support student well-being, and align with broader educational goals.

The following three strategies—prioritizing teacher development, ensuring administrative coherence, and modeling digital literacy and citizenship—offer a framework for school leaders to guide thoughtful, balanced, and transparent EdTech integration.

1. Prioritize Teacher Development

Effective EdTech integration starts with empowered educators. Both new and experienced teachers need ongoing, high-quality professional development that goes beyond tool tutorials. Training should be:

• Contextualized: Every school has its own instructional culture. Professional learning must align with local pedagogical structures, curriculum goals, and student needs. A tool that works in one district might not fit another without adaptation.
• Practical: Teachers need to see how digital tools support real instructional goals, whether it’s differentiating reading instruction, facilitating formative assessment, or enabling student collaboration.
• Collaborative: Site-based EdTech leaders should offer clear, intentional guidance on how tools are expected to be used. This shared framework helps teachers implement tools with confidence and communicate their purpose to families.

2. Ensure Administrative Coherence and Clarity

Leadership must provide clear, actionable, and context-specific guidance on EdTech use. This means:

• Not every tool is a good fit. Leaders should select technologies that align with the academic goals and developmental needs of their students and staff. Quality over quantity is key.
• Before rolling out a new tool, leaders should ask, “How does this fit into our current instructional model?”, “Is it duplicative or does it offer something new?,” “What training and time will teachers need to use it effectively?” and “How will we measure its impact?”
• Once a tool is adopted, leaders must clearly define how and when it should be used. This clarity allows teachers to implement it with fidelity and explain its purpose to families. It also ensures consistency across classrooms and grade levels.

Ultimately, administrative coherence ensures that EdTech is intentional, effective, and aligned with the school’s broader instructional vision. When leadership, teachers, and families are all on the same page, screen time becomes a tool for learning—not a source of confusion or concern.

3. Model Digital Literacy and Citizenship

Students develop their digital habits by observing the adults around them. Teachers and families alike shape how students perceive and use technology. Schools can support this by:

• Establishing clear, age-appropriate expectations for when and how screens are used—both in the classroom and at home;
• Demonstrating purposeful screen use, showing students how to use technology to create, collaborate, and think critically—not just consume; and
• Avoiding overreliance by having EdTech enhance instruction, not replace it. Teachers should blend digital tools with hands-on learning, discussion, and inquiry-based strategies.

By building strong school-to-home connections, schools can offer families consistent, actionable guidance that reflects classroom realities. This alignment helps families reinforce healthy digital habits at home and builds trust in how technology is used at school.

Building Trust With Families

One of the most effective strategies is to foster open, ongoing communication between schools and homes. Leaders can provide families with clear, research-informed guidance on how and why screens are used in the classroom, emphasizing the difference between structured educational use and unstructured entertainment.

To support families in limiting screen time at home, schools can offer practical tips—such as setting consistent screen-free times, modeling healthy digital habits, and encouraging offline activities. Hosting workshops or sending home digital wellness newsletters can also help families feel more confident in managing screen use.

School leaders should ensure that teachers are equipped to explain how EdTech tools support learning goals. When families understand the purpose behind screen use, they’re more likely to support it—and more empowered to set boundaries outside of school. By aligning classroom practices with family expectations and offering consistent messaging, schools can build trust and promote healthier digital habits for students.

Screen time is not inherently good or bad; it’s about context, content, and control. As debates around screen time continue, educators must not only use digital tools effectively but also help families understand their value.

As leaders, your role is to foster a culture of intentionality around digital media, ensuring that technology serves as a tool for empowerment, not distraction. Equip your staff, engage your families, and lead with clarity.

Krysia Gabenski is editorial director at NAESP.