SF4202

Purpose

This bill aims to limit how preschool and kindergarten students use screens at publicly funded programs. It would prohibit the use of individual-use screens (like tablets or smartphones) without direct engagement from a teacher or other students while the child is at a school site. The goal is to ensure screen use is interactive and supervised rather than solitary.

Main Provisions

• Prohibition on unengaged screen use: In publicly funded preschool or kindergarten programs, a child may not use an individual-use screen (tablet, smartphone, or other digital media) without engagement from a teacher or other students while at a school site.
• Engagement requirement: Any screen use must involve active interaction with a teacher or with peers.
• Exceptions for special programs: The restriction does not apply to a child who has an individualized family service plan (IFSP), an individualized education program (IEP), or a 504 plan in effect.

Notable Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a clear, school-site rule restricting unsupervised or solitary screen use for young children in publicly funded early education settings.
• Establishes specific exceptions for students with IFSPs, IEPs, or 504 plans, preserving individualized support needs.

Practical Implications

• For educators: They would need to plan and supervise screen use to ensure it happens with teacher or peer engagement. Unsupervised or solitary screen time would be limited or disallowed.
• For students: Screen time in preschool and kindergarten would be more interactive and collaborative, rather than individual and passive.
• For administrators and schools: Policies and classroom practices may need to be updated to align with the engagement requirement and to document exceptions for students with IFSPs, IEPs, or 504 plans.

Summary of Key Terminology Within the Bill

• screen time; individual-use screen; tablet; smartphone; digital media
• publicly funded preschool; kindergarten; school site
• engagement from a teacher; engagement from other students
• individualized family service plan (IFSP)
• individualized education program (IEP)
• 504 plan

Potential Considerations

• Implementation will require clear guidance on what counts as "engagement" and how teachers document adherence.
• Schools will need to determine how to accommodate students with IFSPs, IEPs, or 504 plans within the new rule.

Relevant Terms screen time individual-use screen tablet smartphone digital media publicly funded preschool preschool kindergarten school site engagement from a teacher engagement from other students individualized family service plan (IFSP) individualized education program (IEP) 504 plan Minnesota Statutes 124D.166 education policy