New Jersey school limits screen time

LEBANON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (NBC, KYMA) - As students across the country head back to school, one New Jersey school district is implementing a limit on screen time in class.

It goes against the changing environment in schools where more tech seems to be the norm. In Lebanon township, the emphasis is on less tech time.

The Lebanon township school board voted Tuesday to do something it says no other district in the state has done: limit student use of class based technology and screen time.

Superintendent Hal Abraham says "Since covid, the surge of education technology has been rampant."

Abraham says use of devices like laptops and pads will be no more than 2 hours per day.

A whopping 98% of parents surveyed in the Hunterdon County district believe schools should establish guidelines for screen time use.

In its place administrators and teachers want students to focus more on handwriting, physical text and interacting with each other.

Screens aren't banned, they'll be used for targeted research and creative projects rather than daily assignments.

That's not the only change kids can expect this year. Statewide, the approved bell-to-bell cellphone ban will also begin.