Oyster Bay-East Norwich district enacts student technology limits amid pushback

The Oyster Bay-East Norwich school district is implementing new technology use restrictions for students amid pushback from parents — but some said the changes don't go far enough.

District officials announced this week that children in second grade and under will no longer use the learning platform i-Ready MyPath, which provides personalized math and reading instruction, and digital devices will be disabled after a designated time at night for fourth through eighth grade students.

Kindergarteners will still be required to complete online assessments on the i-Ready Inform platform twice a year; students in grades one through eight must participate in the program's assessments three times a year, according to a district spokeswoman.

Jaclyn Gibbons, district director of technology and data, said that iPads for kindergartners will be stored outside the class. Screen time would also be limited for students in grades two and under. 

“What this shift really helps us do is remind the teachers, the students, the families that hands-on, tactile learning is vital in these early years,” Gibbons said during the meeting.

The changes come four months after Newsday reported on concerns expressed by parents across the Island about the use of the i-Ready program in the classroom, which they worried could adversely affect child development. They cited i-Ready's "gamified" approach to learning, as well as the impact of screen time on young students. 

Despite the changes, some parents expressed frustration at the level of technology that would still be employed in the classroom.

In a presentation Tuesday night, district officials identified dozens of edtech programs used by educators and students, including Magma Math and Magic School AI. The presentation included what appeared to be video from some of the tech companies themselves.

Nick Zagaria, who said he works in cybersecurity and has a kindergarten student, told the school board, “I was very concerned by that presentation. I had no idea of the extent of different edtech applications that are being used within the district, and the explanation about how they are vetted. It sounds like we're just taking the vendor's word for it.”

Zagaria is a member of the local chapter of Schools Beyond Screens, a growing grassroots organization advocating for edtech and screentime limits in schools.

 Alina Vegliante, who also belongs to the group, said, "There have been changes that have been made, but I feel like there's still a lot of room for improvement. Integrating educational technology... into every subject replaces the active play-based exploration that helps children's brains develop."

Superintendent Francesco Ianni said technology is intended to support student learning, not replace teachers.  

“We take a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of the platforms we use, continuously evaluating each one while maintaining the safeguards and protections already in place," Ianni said in a statement.

Call for technology limits

There has been a growing backlash to the use of technology in the classroom. The American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second-largest teachers' union, and the New York State United Teachers union have called for banning technology, including computerized assessments, for students in prekindergarten through second grade.

Districts across Long Island are being deliberate in their approach, according to Kenneth Bossert, president of New York State Council of School Superintendents and superintendent of Great Neck schools.

“I think that educators share concerns about student mental health and wellbeing when it comes to social media and gaming and viral videos and things of that nature, but are very measured in making sure that instructional technology is used in a healthy, balanced way,” Bossert said.

Bob Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, said that districts have been putting up guardrails around technology for several years. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed legislation that requires AI firms to block "harmful features" for users under 18. She previously signaled interest in regulating artificial intelligence in schools,  and some educators are keeping an eye on possible legislative changes, he said.

“There's a heightened sense of awareness. There's a greater amount of community conversations that are happening to explain to parents what exactly is and is not being done with use of technology in the classrooms," he said. "So everybody's taking a very cautious approach as far as vetting the various apps or technologies that are used in school districts as a whole."

Gibbons said in Oyster Bay-East Norwich, third graders will not be allowed to bring their digital devices home and starting in fourth grade, students will take devices home only when needed and not on weekends. Devices for students in grades 4 through 6 will have a 9 p.m. cutoff and a midnight curfew has been implemented for students in grades seven and eight. High school student would not be subject to a cutoff time on their devices.

AI use is not permitted for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, while students in fifth through sixth grade will be allowed to use it under the supervision of a teacher. Students in seventh grade through high school must get permission before using AI, according to the presentation.

“We've had a consistent focus in the instructional technology department on promoting intentional use and balance,” Gibbons said.

While reviewing the uses of different apps, Gibbons said an interactive graphing calculator, Desmos, has improved student progress.

"Since introduction of this calculator app, we've seen the Algebra 1 pass rate jump from 75% in 2025 to 92% in 2026, and in Algebra 2, it went from 84% to 96%," Gibbons said.

But Deborah Duxbury, a physician who has two children in seventh grade, said digital learning is weakening the fundamentals of education.

"They're not being taught how to write. They're not being taught basic grammar,” she said. "I use technology every day, but I use the math, writing and communication skills every day of my life, and that's what we need to be teaching."

By Lorena Mongelli

lorena.mongelli@newsday.com

Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.