At an Oct. 26 board meeting, Fort Bend ISD Chief Academic Officer Matt Warford outlined the district’s plan to re‑evaluate technology use in classrooms for the 2026‑27 school year. While acknowledging that students often drift to unrelated videos and games, Warford emphasized the educational benefits of digital tools for research, college applications and teacher communication.
Balancing instruction and distraction
Warford said staff will spend the year reviewing existing guidelines, refining practices, and studying neighboring districts to develop both short‑ and long‑term plans. The goal is to ensure technology supports learning while reducing passive, non‑instructional use.
New parent portal on the horizon
In the coming months the district will roll out a parent portal that displays the most‑visited content on students’ devices and lets families flag restricted material. Warford noted that this transparency will help parents stay informed and work with schools to keep technology use purposeful.
Community response
Some Fort Bend families have formed a local chapter of Schools Beyond Screens, a national group that cautions against heavy tech reliance in schools. Resident Grace Chen warned that constant access to laptops, distractions and AI could stunt developing brains. Board President Kristin Tassin responded that any additional spending should first address core resources, stating, “If we have to spend more money to get more books, then we have to spend more money to get books.” Board member Angie Hanan suggested exploring how hands‑on learning time relates to academic performance.
Next steps
The district will continue its planning process throughout the school year, providing regular updates to families and stakeholders as the new technology expectations take shape.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Houston — read the source article.
