The Screen Time Question I Can’t Stop Asking as a Father and an EdTech Exec

I’ve spent more than two decades in classrooms, district offices, and alongside educators working to improve outcomes for students. I’ve also spent many of those same years as a father, watching my own children grow up in a world where screens are everywhere.

So, when I hear the current conversation about screen time in schools, I don’t hear it as an abstract debate. I feel it personally—in my home, in my kids’ schools, as a dad, and as someone deeply rooted in education. Because, like so many parents and educators, I wrestle with this question myself: Are we talking enough about what kids need, not just what they use?

Every Moment Matters

K–12 education is a short window. We don’t get these years back.

In that finite time, we’re asking schools to do something incredibly complex: help every student build the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to become thoughtful, capable, and balanced adults. That’s a tall order. Every minute matters. Every decision matters.

And yes, the amount of time students spend on screens absolutely matters. That concern is real, and it should be taken seriously.

But it’s not the only question. Alongside how much, we also have to ask: Is this time worthy of our students? We need to make sure educators have the best possible tools to support their students. We need to be intentional about everything in our classrooms. So, in thinking about screens—or any tool used in instruction—are the minutes students spend using these tools purposeful, connected to learning, and truly helping them grow? That’s our collective goal.

Why We Built Digital Tools in the First Place

Curriculum Associates has been a print publisher for more than 50 years, and we still are. That matters to me. It reflects a deep belief in the power of rich texts, thoughtful tasks, discourse, and human-centered teaching and learning.

We didn’t add digital tools to our portfolio because it was trendy. We did it because educators were facing a very real, very persistent challenge: how to meet the individual needs of every student in a classroom with many different learning styles, strengths, and instructional needs.

That’s why tools like i-Ready Personalized Instruction were built—to help answer two fundamental questions teachers ask every day:
What does this student know now?
What do they need next?

As Dr. Kristen Huff outlines in her recent piece on screen time in schools, those questions sit at the heart of effective instruction. When technology is designed well, it can help teachers answer them with greater precision and act on them in real time.

The Technology Balance We All Have to Get Right

Inside Curriculum Associates, we talk about balance, and student well-being. We talk about what it means to design tools that are not just effective, but responsible. And we listen . . . a lot to educators, students, pedagogical experts, and to what we learn through our research. We talk as educators and subject matter experts, but also as parents, seeing the experience our kids have had in their schools.

We’ve all seen what happens when technology is overused or disconnected from real learning—and that’s not acceptable.

At its best, technology should be a small, purposeful part of a much larger learning experience, one that is grounded in relationships, discussion, curiosity, and deep thinking. It should support great teaching, not compete with it.

That’s why responsible use matters just as much as the tool itself.

What I Want for My Children—and Yours

When I think about screen time, I think about it first as a father. I want my children to be challenged; to build confidence in what they can do. I want them learning from great teachers, engaging with meaningful content and their peers, and developing the skills they’ll carry into adulthood.

I also know the world they are growing into is deeply shaped by technology. The ability to navigate digital environments, think critically, and apply knowledge in new ways isn’t optional—it’s essential. 

The responsibility in front of us is twofold: we must protect the quality of our children’s learning experiences and do all we can to meet the unique needs of every learner in front of us. That is where well-designed, well-implemented technology can help them thrive. 

Getting the Screen Time Conversation Right

We should be talking about screen time. In fact, we must.

Getting it right means making intentional, informed decisions about how we use every tool available to us, print and digital alike. It also means holding ourselves accountable to research and evidence, choosing programs that are proven to support student growth when used as intended. And it means ensuring that every minute, on screen or off, is aligned to what students need to succeed.

When technology is effective and helps students learn, while augmenting the talents of a skilled teacher, it can be tremendously valuable. 

We have a responsibility as educators, families, and partners in our children’s future to ensure that students leave our schools ready. Ready with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

That responsibility is what drove the development of tools like i-Ready Personalized Instruction. And it’s what should continue to guide every decision we make.
Because this isn’t just about screens.

It’s about whether we are truly preparing our children for what comes next. And whether we are doing it in a way that gives every student the opportunity to thrive.

Learn more about i-Ready’s research-backed approach.