Is every minute on screen earning its place?

A question worth sitting with, from a father who works at the intersection of learning and technology.

Tyrone Holmes | Chief Impact Officer | Curriculum Associates

I have two daughters. I’ve spent more than two decades working alongside teachers and district leaders to improve student outcomes. I also happen to lead the impact strategy at a company that develops both curriculum and digital learning tools. So when the conversation about screen time in schools gets heated—and it has—I feel it from every direction at once.

• The concern about screen time is real and deserves to be taken seriously. But the “what” is every bit as important as the “how much.” Are the minutes our kids spend on screens purposeful, connected to learning, and worthy of them?
• K–12 is a short window. We don’t get these years back, and every minute matters—on screen or off.

At its best, technology should be a small, deliberate part of a much broader learning experience—one grounded in relationships, curiosity, and deep thinking. It should amplify what great teachers already do, not compete with it. That means choosing tools that are designed with intention, grounded in evidence, and built with student well-being in mind. It means holding ourselves accountable to what the evidence says. And it means making sure that when we do hand a student a screen, it genuinely helps them move forward.

So yes—let’s talk about screen time. Let’s just make sure we’re asking all the right questions when we do.