LMSD's K-12 Technology Use Policy (TUP)

The Vote Is
August 17.

On August 3, the Policy Committee advanced a revised version of the K-12 Technology Use Policy to the full Board on a split vote. The final Board vote is August 17, 2026. We don't support the current draft as written. Read the August 3 version below, see where it still falls short, and contact the Board before the vote.

Repealed

Policies 134 & 137 — the only active rules on ed-tech and the family opt-out — were repealed before any replacement was final.

June 15

First reading of the new Technology Use Policy approved by the Board.

August 3

Policy Committee advanced the revised draft to the full Board on a split vote, after a chaotic meeting that had to move to Zoom when shouting shut down the in-person session.

Aug 17

Final Board vote. This is the last chance to make your voice heard before the policy your children live under is locked in.

The Vote Is August 17.

The Policy Committee met on August 3 and advanced a revised version of the K-12 Technology Use Policy to the full Board on a split vote. The meeting itself became a flashpoint: in-person proceedings broke down amid shouting from parents and had to reconvene on Zoom before the vote could be completed.

The August 3 version incorporates some changes from the June 15 first reading, most notably pulling the "Safety, Monitoring and Privacy" section out into a separate proposed policy (Policy 142). The grade-level device rules and personal phone restrictions remain essentially the same.

Words are not protections. The policy uses language we support: purposeful, supervised, developmentally appropriate, human-centered. But without clear limits, enforceable standards, transparent oversight, and meaningful parent consent, that language is not binding. The final policy must protect children in practice, not just on paper.

Below: read the August 3 version, see what it says grade by grade, compare it to the five protections we're asking for, and contact the Board before August 17.

The August 3 Policy

This is the revised K-12 Technology Use Policy advanced by the Policy Committee on August 3 — written by LMSD, not by Pencils Over Pixels. The full Board votes on August 17. We don't support it as written. Key change from June 15: the "Safety, Monitoring & Privacy" section has been pulled into a separate proposed policy (Policy 142). The grade-level device rules are unchanged.

LMSD K-12 Technology Use Policy Revised Draft · Policy Committee August 3, 2026 · Board Vote August 17
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What It Says: Devices by Grade

How the policy assigns District-issued devices across grade bands (unchanged from June 15):

GradesIndividual device?What the policy allows
K–2NoneNo individual devices. No technology for routine instruction — only rare, teacher-directed whole-class use or state/diagnostic testing.
3–4NoneNo individual devices. Supervised, teacher-directed classroom use only, tied to standards. Devices stay at school.
5–6AssignedAssigned an individual device for supervised classroom use. Parents choose whether it goes home; students aren't required to use a computer at home.
7–8AssignedAssigned an individual device for instructional use, taken to and from school.
9–12AssignedAssigned an individual device carried throughout the day and to and from school.

What It Says: Personal Phones & Devices

Rules for students' own phones, watches, and devices (unchanged from June 15):

GradesDuring schoolDetail
K–8Not allowedNo use in school buildings during school hours. Must be off and in a backpack or locker all day.
9–12Stored in classMust be off and kept in a teacher-designated area during class periods. The Superintendent may impose a full ban, including during Lunch & Learn.

The policy commits to continued assistive technology for students with IEPs and 504 plans, annual communication with families, and professional development for staff. Safety, monitoring, and filtering requirements are now in a separate proposed Policy 142.

June 15 First Reading

The original draft approved on first reading. The August 3 version is the one going to the final vote.

LMSD K-12 Technology Use Policy Original Draft · First Reading · June 15, 2026
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Five Protections We're Asking For

These are our guiding principles — developed with parents, educators, and national leaders. For each, here's where the current draft still falls short.

01 Transparency & ongoing oversight

Create a standing committee — administrators, Board members, parents, and educators — where educators can speak honestly and without fear.

The gapThe draft promises annual review by the Superintendent and Curriculum Committee, but creates no standing community body and no protected channel for teachers to speak freely.

02 Bell-to-bell phone & personal-device ban

Keep personal devices, including phones, away during the full school day, K-12.

The gapK-8 is close — but high school only requires phones "stored during class periods," not a true bell-to-bell ban. A full ban is left to the Superintendent's discretion rather than guaranteed.

03 Zero tolerance for inappropriate content & distractions

No unauthorized internet use, YouTube, games, social media, dangerous content, or non-educational activity.

The gapThe draft relies on filtering "to the greatest extent reasonably possible" and the same vetting that let questionable apps in. It sets the goal without enforceable, transparent standards for what's actually blocked.

04 Return to teacher-led, human-centered instruction

Use computers to teach about technology, typing, and digital literacy — not to deliver the core curriculum.

The gapThe draft says tech should "support and not replace" human instruction, yet still assigns 1:1 devices for daily core work from Grade 5 up, with no limit on how much of the school day runs through a screen.

05 Parent consent for school-issued 1:1 devices

Shift from opt-out to informed opt-in, so students use school-issued 1:1 devices only with parent approval.

The gapWith Policies 134 & 137 repealed, there is no opt-out at all. The draft assigns devices by default and only lets 5-6 parents choose home use — far short of real opt-in consent.

Read Our Full Recommendations

The one-page proposal we developed with parents, educators, and national leaders — the basis for the five protections above. Share it with your Board members.

Pencils Over Pixels — Recommendations to LMSD Our five-point proposal for a human-centered, lower-screen policy
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Contact the Board

Every parent, educator, and community member who cares about this should email the Board — especially the members working on the policy. Personal notes in your own words carry the most weight. Here's the easiest way to start.

✉️ Email All 9 Board Members

Opens your email app with everyone's address and a subject line filled in. Add your own words — or paste the suggested message below.

The Board of School Directors

Dr. Sautner and Mrs. Shurak are leading the policy work — but the whole Board votes. Click any name to email that member directly.

Leading the policy work Dr. Kerry Sautner sautnek@lmsd.org
Leading the policy work Anna Shurak shuraka@lmsd.org
Todd Ridky ridkyt@lmsd.org
Sarah Thomas thomassa@lmsd.org
Juanita Kerber kerberj@lmsd.org
Abby Lerner Rubin rubina@lmsd.org
Jennifer Rivera riveraj@lmsd.org
Shayna Kalish kalishs@lmsd.org
Jason Herman hermanj@lmsd.org
Want it on the public record? You can also write the Board's general inbox: communitycomments@lmsd.org

A Suggested Message

Use this as a starting point. A few personal sentences about your own child or classroom matter more than anything. Edit the bracketed parts.

Subject: Strengthen the LMSD Technology Use Policy before the August vote
Dear Members of the Lower Merion Board of School Directors, I am a [parent / educator / community member] in LMSD, and I'm writing about the draft K-12 Technology Use Policy approved on first reading June 15. Thank you for pausing after first reading to keep working with the community. Dr. Ranelli's letter uses the right words — purposeful, supervised, developmentally appropriate, human interaction. But words are only protections if the final policy backs them with clear limits, transparency, and meaningful parent consent. Before the August vote, I ask the Board to strengthen the policy to include: 1. Transparency and ongoing oversight — a standing committee of administrators, Board members, parents, and educators, where educators can speak honestly without fear. 2. A bell-to-bell personal-device ban, K-12. 3. Zero tolerance for non-educational content and online distractions. 4. A return to teacher-led, human-centered instruction — using computers to teach digital skills, not to deliver the core curriculum. 5. Informed parent opt-in consent before any student is issued a 1:1 device. [Add 2-3 sentences here in your own words: who you are, your child's grade or school, and what you've seen.] Please don't finalize this policy until it protects children in practice, not just on paper. Thank you, [Your name] [Your neighborhood / your child's school]

More Ways to Help

This work is powered entirely by parents and community members volunteering their time. Four quick ways to keep it growing:

Sign the Petition

Add your name and a comment about your concerns — it's the public record of how many families want change.

Sign & share →

Request a Lawn Sign

Especially if you're in a visible spot. Every sign spreads "Screens Down. Pencils Up." across the district.

Get a sign →

Join the WhatsApp Group

Where parents share updates, coordinate next steps, and keep working together between meetings.

Join the group →

Support the Movement

Donations cover signs, materials, and outreach. This is a volunteer, parent-led effort — every bit helps.

Donate →

This is not over. This is the next phase. The next 30 days decide whether LMSD stays tied to a screen-heavy model — or leads the country toward a more human, teacher-led, lower-screen future.