What happened: Midland ISD is ending take-home devices for most students and blocking YouTube for younger grades as part of a push to reduce screen time and return to more teacher-led instruction. The plan responds to concerns raised by trustees in April, when Trustee Matt Friez said there was a “big disconnect” between how the district intended for students to use Chromebooks and how they were actually using them.

On Tuesday, June 23, the Board of Trustees revised its technology policy, giving the district the authority to set screen-time limits, not just block certain websites, and the administration laid out an operational plan to carry it out during the upcoming school year.

The big picture: Starting this fall, students in grades pre-K-8 will use classroom sets of devices instead of taking one home, meaning teachers will not be able to assign work that requires a device outside the school day. The district says it is supplying paper consumables and workbooks in reading, math, science, and social studies, so homework can return to pencil and paper.

Grades pre-K-8 will also have YouTube blocked, and student-to-student file sharing turned off. Ninth graders will keep their assigned device, but the district will block YouTube unless a teacher approves it for class. Students in grades 10-12 will continue with take-home devices with filtered internet access.

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District leaders said their goal now is to reduce “passive” screen time while keeping technology for research, writing, and skill practice. They also said the district has spent several years moving younger grades back to paper-and-pencil.

Go deeper: Trustees questioned who would enforce the new rules, and district officials said teachers, principals, and central office staff will all share responsibility. The district said it will create new instructional guidelines specifying when teachers can allow devices in class. The plan holds principals accountable for spending more of their day in classrooms and ensuring teachers follow the guidelines.

The district also said it monitors student activity through internet filters and alert systems. Students who misuse district devices can lose access to them. Friez asked how the district plans to prevent students from circumventing internet filters, and officials called it an ongoing “whack-a-mole” challenge that requires constant monitoring and staff training.

Trustee Sara Burleson asked whether teachers would have enough paper and workbooks to replace device-based classwork and homework, and district officials said they would. Trustee Brandon Hodges said that state funding tied to House Bill 1605 and the district’s adoption of state-approved K–5 Bluebonnet Learning reading curriculum helps pay for those consumables.

The other side: Friez and Board President Josh Guinn said they continue to hear concerns from parents about excessive screen time among older students. District officials said high school students need take-home devices for coursework, dual-credit classes, and college readiness. Guinn said that if it were up to him, the district “just wouldn’t have them at all,” while saying that it is not realistic.

The district also recommends limiting programs such as i-Ready to about one hour per week for reading and math. In a statement after the meeting, Friez said he pushed for those limits and would consider seeking firmer ones through board action “if the limits are ineffective.”

What’s next: The district said it plans to release parent resources and frequently asked questions before school starts, and will monitor device use throughout the school year and make adjustments if needed. Friez said feedback from parents, teachers, and administrators will help determine whether the district needs to implement additional changes.