The Fairfax County School Board on July 16 passed a series of motions to limit the use of educational technology in the classroom.
The motions were supported by Fairfax County Parents for Intentional Technology, a group of parents and teachers concerned about the overuse of laptops, tablets, and artificial intelligence in schools.
The school board approved the following seven motions:
- A motion introduced by Tom Dannan (Braddock) and passed unanimously directs the superintendent to prohibit the use of FCPS-issued laptops and tablets for students enrolled in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
An exception is allowed for students who require access to those devices for Individualized Education Programs, 504 plans, translation purposes, or multilingual education support. The motion was amended to state that the prohibition of devices will remain in effect pending recommendations from the Educational Technology Review Committee.
- A motion from Melanie Meren (Hunter Mill) calls for the superintendent to deliver a plan by Nov. 12 for the storage of FCPS-issued laptops and tablets in the classroom when not in use for instructional purposes. Again, there’s an exception for students in special education or who need them for translation or multilingual education support.
- The board passed and amended a motion from Mateo Dunne (Mount Vernon) directing the superintendent to provide “a comprehensive inventory of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools and solutions as defined by FCPS” on laptops and tablets issued to students by Jan. 14, 2027.
The motion prohibits the use of AI for elementary school students and only allows AI for secondary school students if specifically authorized by a principal or the superintendent for specialized student projects.
- Another motion passed by the school board directs the superintendent to develop a pilot program for a tiered, positive-list firewall architecture for electronic devices issued by FCPS.
The pilot program must be submitted to the school board by Dec. 10. It will be implemented at two elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools to begin in the third quarter of the 2026-27 school year…